What is multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis, which is otherwise termed as MS, is actually an autoimmune disorder that mainly affects the central nervous system. This debilitating disease commonly affects females who are in their childbearing years.
This means that certain issues are regarded significantly in relation to their disease, such as conception, getting pregnant and delivery of the baby.
Some research findings show that pregnancy has both clinical and immunological effects in the disease process of multiple sclerosis. Also, there are data that discuss the efficacy and the safety of treatments aimed at immuno-modulating cases of MS. And, symptomatic therapies for lactating women and pregnant women are also included. Furthermore, the research also includes management modalities for multiple sclerosis during the duration of the pregnancy.
The good news
Having multiple sclerosis can be such bad news, since this disease is not only debilitating but it is also an autoimmune disorder. However, with this bad news comes good news. The good news is that pregnancy is not at all a problem when it comes to MS. In fact, research findings actually think it is quite beneficial. With this said, multiple sclerotic women do not have to be afraid of getting pregnant.
The only bad thing that could happen when pregnancy and multiple sclerosis happens together is that they just tend to have a bigger possibility in having caesarean deliveries and slow prenatal development, as compared to those who do not have MS.
But the advantage is such a big advantage because pregnant women with multiple sclerosis are no longer at risk for pre-eclampsia, other hypertensive pregnancy problems and a premature rupture of the membranes.
About the study
The study that was done made use of a national database that is usually utilized in nonfederal and short-stay hospitals in approximately thirty-eight states in the United States. There were an estimated total of eighteen million births, and that ten thousand of those who gave birth have multiple sclerosis.
An expert from the Stanford University School of Medicine named Eliza Chakravarty say that the results of the mentioned study are beneficial for females who are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. They have shown that having multiple sclerosis during pregnancy does not increase the risk of acquiring pregnancy-related complications.
Many physicians have actually been uncertain about the many effects of MS on different conditions of patients. In this case, they were hesitant whether or not a person with MS can have a child. It was because of this uncertainty that doctors advised their female patients to delay or avoid getting pregnant, when they actually did not have to.
What medications to avoid
Female persons who have multiple sclerosis who have a desire to become pregnant just need to know that there are particular drugs that are able to treat MS but should be avoided at all costs during pregnancy and during lactation. Such drugs can be the causative factors for many kinds of birth defects that can be transmitted to the fetus via blood and to the infant via the colostrum found in breast milk.
In such a long time, it is only in this century that most of the impairments associated with the initial stages of multiple sclerosis can be reversed. This works by resetting their immune systems by making use of their very own stem cells.
Still, this kind of treatment is being further observed which necessitate some randomized clinical testing in order to confirm the test’s findings. However, this stem cell therapy is a good thing so that those who are still in the first stages of this disease can still have hope despite not having to undergo its drug regimen.
What is multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is actually an autoimmune disorder that predominantly affects the myelin sheath. The myelin sheath is basically made up of adipose tissue and it is wrapped around the nerve cells serving as a protective covering. Also, the myelin helps in speeding up the speed or the rate of the transmission between the brain, as it sends its signals, and the rest of the body. In MS, it is this myelin sheath that gets damaged.
What is best with treating MS is to immediately stop the attacks before there is further nerve cell impairment. And since MS is an autoimmune disease, this intervention is a definite must.
Stem cell treatment
A study was actually done regarding stem cell therapy and multiple sclerosis. The respondents were made up of twelve ladies and eleven gentlemen, who all had an early onset of the relapsing – remitting type of MS. These respondents were chosen since their system failed to positively respond to interferon beta treatment, even after half a year.
Stem cells were removed from these respondents, specifically from their bone marrow. Afterwards, chemicals were used in order to destroy the already present immune cells inside the person’s body before preparing to re-inject the stem cells. The re-injected stem cells will progress into what are called “naïve” immune cells which do recognize the myelin as self.
After three years of consistency in the treatment, seventeen of the overall total of respondents actually had an improved status on a standard disability scale. Moreover, none of the respondents died.
Reverse disability
Medical scientists say that this is the first time that reversing the disabilities associated with multiple sclerosis has actually been accomplished.
Although researchers admit that further testing is needed to confirm findings, but there is nothing to worry about because such tests are underway. Eventually, all thanks to stem cell transplant, those with MS are not forced to take drugs. Moreover, transplanting stem cells is a good thing for most since it is a one-off therapy.
Word from MS Society
Speakers from the MS Society have actually praised stem cell transplant for its positive results. Aside from stopping the debilitating disease from further progressing, the damages to the nerve conduction are also reversed.
At present, the potential of stem cells are become more and more recognized by many in the medical field. The only challenge relating to stem cells that remain is proving just how effective their transplantation is to big groups of people.
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