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Home > Events > Archived Webinars & Events > 2019 > Pregnancy and Multiple Sclerosis

Pregnancy and Multiple Sclerosis

Event Date: Jun 18, 2019

Presentation Slides l Recording

Part 1: Reproduction and Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) preferentially affects females, with clinical onset and disease course mostly occurring during the reproductive years. Given advances in early diagnosis, there is no longer a long lag time from clinical onset to diagnosis. Thus, decision-making about reproductive options is a real world concern for individuals with this diagnosis. To date, there is virtually no prospective, population-based data on reproductive topics for MS.
It is important to discuss relevant issues from the time pregnancy is being considered to the postpartum period (loosely defined as 12 months after delivery.

This webinar will discuss various issues in the decision-making process about reproduction (“reproductive counselling”) including topics such as the safety of MS therapies, fertility, management of MS prior to conception until delivery, breastfeeding, MS relapses, and psychosocial considerations.

The ongoing Canada-wide project “CANPREG-MS” will be discussed and is designed to capture what is happening for all women with MS, regardless of clinical course, therapy, MS disease duration, and co-morbidities. This is in contrast to the existing “drug-specific exposure pregnancy registries”, (whether retrospective or prospective) which provide limited or no information on factors (e.g. maternal age, previous pregnancy history, family history, ethnicity, maternal age, etc.) that can potentially separately or together result in an adverse pregnancy outcome.

Part 2: Pregnancy and MS - My Experience

Rebecca Scott Rawn was diagnosed with MS in 2012, she was married in 2013, gave birth to her first child in 2014 and her second in 2016. She will share her experience of flare ups, meltdowns and workarounds as she managed through her pregnancies.

This session is hosted by the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada who gratefully acknowledges the support of SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU., a leader in supporting the health of Canadian women living with MS.

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada is a registered health charity and does not approve, endorse or recommend any specific product or therapy but provides information to assist individuals in making their own decisions.

Related Documents:

Womens Health and MS, MS Society of Canada

Presenter(s):

A. Dessa Sadovnick, Professor of Medical Genetics & Neurology, University of British Columbia

Dr. Sadovnick is a Professor of Medical Genetics and Neurology at the University of British Columbia. She was the Director of the MS Western Pacific Research & Training Centre. She was a Michael Smith Distinguished Scholar (2001-2006), an awardee of the MS Society of Canada
National Award of Merit, (2007) and awardee of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada Women Against MS Award (WAMS) award (November 2017).

Dr. Sadovnick has been the Principal Investigator of several multicenter Canadian and International collaborative research projects on Multiple Sclerosis and pediatric Multiple Sclerosis as well as dementia. She currently leads the CANPREG-MS Study, a Canada-wide prospective study of women with MS who are pregnant or who are planning a pregnancy.

Dr. Sadovnick was a Developer and then Co-director of the Genetic Counselling Training Programme at the University of British Columbia. She has published extensively (over 300 articles in peer-review journals) and serves as a reviewer for a wide variety of medical journals and grant review panels.

Dr. Sadovnick is a member of several National and International advisory groups and task forces for MS and dementia.

Ms. Rebecca Scott Rawn

As a communication and coaching expert, Rebecca strives to empower people to achieve their impossible, with support, coaching and laughter when they need it. She has served on the Boards of Equal Voice, a multi-partisan organization dedicated to electing more women to public office, the Ontario Long-Term Care Association and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Having spent countless hours working with seniors, she’s taken to heart the advice of those who have ‘been there and done that’ – create meaningful connections, live the life that’s right for you and have no regrets. Her favourite thing to do is spend time with her two daughters and her husband in their home town of Orangeville, Ontario.