MS Drug Poses Hard Choices for Women Wanting Kids

By Dennis Thompson

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A powerful multiple sclerosis drug presents women with a tough dilemma if they would like to have children, a pair of new studies suggests.

Those who take Tysabri (natalizumab) to manage their MS are more likely to suffer a relapse during pregnancy if they stop taking the drug before they conceive, the first study found.

But if a woman remains on Tysabri while trying to get pregnant, her unborn child could face serious health risks, the second study showed.

Fetal exposure to Tysabri up to 12 weeks of gestation was associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, the Italian researchers discovered. Babies exposed to the drug in the womb also tended to have shorter length and lower weight at birth.

The researchers said their findings provide a path forward for couples who’d like to start a family.

“Our findings suggest that if women who take natalizumab for MS want to become pregnant, it may be best to continue treatment up until a pregnancy test is positive and then at that point discontinue use,” lead researcher Dr. Emilio Portaccio said in a statement.

“While there is still a risk of increased disease activity, this course of action may lower that risk,” said Portaccio, a neurologist with the Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation in Florence.

Other MS experts are less certain, arguing that these studies simply provide more data for couples to consider when planning a family.

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