MS or Epilepsy Doesn't Equate To Significantly Riskier Pregnancy

In a story published yesterday in The Oregonian, scientists at Stanford University have reported that pregnant women with epilepsy or MS do not have significantly riskier pregnancies than those who do not. While their studies did show that women with either disease experienced abnormal fetal growth rates, the percentage was less than 5% in each case and less than 2% more than women who did not have either disease.

This is great news for women who experience either disease and have been cautious about becoming pregnant because so. Epilepsy and MS are both neurological diseases for which there are no known cures. Both can be experienced at varying levels as well. While some may have very mild cases in which they rarely experience the effects of their disease, others experience symptoms that significantly affect their daily lives. Even in more mild cases, those with these diseases often take medicines to help control their disease, and this can be a cause for concern for a woman that is thinking about becoming pregnant. After scanning records of babies born in the US between 2003 and 2006, including thousands that were born to mothers with either epilepsy or MS, researchers concluded that, although women with either of these diseases should be monitored more closely during pregnancy, their diseases did not necessarily predispose them to experiencing a higher risk pregnancy.

On a personal note, I have a few family members with MS. Each experiences the disease in their own unique way but a common thread to anyone with the disease is that it can be exacerbated by stress. I've said it loads of times but, it bears repeating...if you're pregnant (and even if you're not!), take time for YOU! It doesn't have to be a whole day - although that would be nice - but make time for you. Whether it's reading a book or magazine for even just 15 minutes or treating yourself to some pampering time, "you" time can make a huge difference in how you feel mentally, emotionally, and physically.