Planning for children

MS itself does not directly affect fertility, but it does make your decision more complicated. There are some important things to consider about your treatment before you start planning for a family.

Pregnancy and MS

Before you start an MS treatment, you should discuss your plans for a family with your neurologist as it may impact how you choose to manage your MS.

The good news:

  • MS doesn’t affect your fertility
  • MS doesn’t increase your risk of miscarriage or stillbirth
  • MS does not increase the risk of abnormalities

The bad news:

  • Treatments for MS may be harmful to a baby during its development or their effects are unknown, so you may have to stop taking your MS medicine a long time before you try to conceive to make sure the treatment has totally cleared the body
  • During the period that you are untreated, you may be at an increased risk of relapse

When talking with your neurologist, discuss the risks and your future plans even if it may be some time before you decide to have children.

To learn more about pregnancy while receiving treatment for MS, create a list of questions to ask your neurologist below.

Questions you could ask your neurologist

Select which questions you would like to ask at your next appointment

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