Can I have childrens?
The decision to start a family should be well weighed if one or both partners suffer from MS. Many couples are concerned about the possibility that children may suffer also from MS. It is important to note that although there is a higher risk of disease transmission to the child, the risk is very small. Although heredity in MS is not clearly defined, close relatives of people with MS are more susceptible to disease than the general population which does not have such family connections. Research on various families found that the risk to which a child it is exposed having a parent with MS is increased by 3-5% if the father is the only family suffering from MS. Risk figure is variable in case there are more family members suffering from MS and / or if MS is in both parents.
The decision to have children must take into consideration long-term consequences. The current and future disability degree should be analyzed , the ability of parents to help their child care and development, potential support from family and friends and financial security.
Pregnancy does not have a higher rate of crisis occurrence , nor changes during pregnancy, labor or birth. Flares frequency during pregnancy appears to be lower, increasing in the first six months after childbirth. There is no evidence of impaired fertility by MS, or on the increased risk of miscarriages, birth defects at birth, infant mortality or complications at birth.
Although there is no specific medication for all people with MS, there are a number of treatments that deal with worsening or symptoms of MS. Some of these (or combination of drugs) may be harmful in the developing fetus. In addition, some people follow a diet and / or other treatments (medically supervised or not supervised) that have a beneficial effect in treating MS. Before conception, parents should discuss with the family doctor about all the treatments and medications to consider possible adverse effects on the fetus. Pregnancy does not appear to affect long-term level of disability or the disease. Breastfeeding does not appear to directly affect the increase of the crisis frequency after birth, in turn is associated with pronounced fatigue, which may influence the decision to switch to artificial feeding and child .
The decision to have a child should not be taken without assessing all the implications. MS may affect the proper functioning of the family, so that the welfare of children should be a priority in planning the house. Another thing that should not be forgotten is that the growth of a child is a long-term commitment. Couples need to think about the consequences of MS over the almost 18 years that will be directly involved in parental focus not only on the period of pregnancy or until the child is newborn. You should be aware also that, unlike a family without MS, it is necessary to call a support system in long-term perspective. The decision to become a parent should be primarily based on the desire to start a family, although it is necessary to analyze problems, MS is not an obstacle in this effect.
