Two fewer MS-related worries for pregnant women

Two studies recently came out that should provide reassurance to pregnant women who have MS or are concerned about MS. An Italian study of 38 pregnant women with MS found that early exposure of the fetus to interferon-beta drugs had no negative effect on the newborn's health status, aside from a slight decrease in birth weight which had no effect on development. So women with MS who become pregnant while taking IFN-b shouldn't be overly concerned that a brief exposure might have harmed their unborn child.

And a large Canadian study of people with MS and spouse controls concluded that pre-term birth does not seem to increase the risk of MS. Pregnant women have enough to worry about -- it's nice that they don't have to worry about these two things.