Biomaterial Database

Multiple sclerosis: pregnancy and motherhood. 2013

Joanna Anderson, and Louise Wallace

Coventry University.

Although at any time in the UK there are about 20,000 women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who may be considering having children, very little is known about their experiences or about those who have had children after the onset of disease. Using semi structured interviews, we explored the childbearing experiences of nine women with MS in order to better understand their expectations, needs and concerns associated with pregnancy, childbirth and mothering. A major concern for women with MS was theirs and their babies' health and future wellbeing, especially how pregnancy can impact their long term MS prognosis and how the condition would affect their ability to look after the baby. In conclusion we suggest that midwives with special interests in MS could be a key source of information and ongoing support.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D008880	Midwifery	The practice of assisting women in childbirth.	Traditional Birth Attendant,Midwife,Midwives,Birth Attendant, Traditional,Birth Attendants, Traditional,Traditional Birth Attendants
D009035	Mothers	Female parents, human or animal.	Mothers' Clubs,Club, Mothers',Clubs, Mothers',Mother,Mother Clubs,Mother's Clubs,Mothers Clubs,Mothers' Club
D009103	Multiple Sclerosis	An autoimmune disorder mainly affecting young adults and characterized by destruction of myelin in the central nervous system. Pathologic findings include multiple sharply demarcated areas of demyelination throughout the white matter of the central nervous system. Clinical manifestations include visual loss, extra-ocular movement disorders, paresthesias, loss of sensation, weakness, dysarthria, spasticity, ataxia, and bladder dysfunction. The usual pattern is one of recurrent attacks followed by partial recovery (see MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, RELAPSING-REMITTING), but acute fulminating and chronic progressive forms (see MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, CHRONIC PROGRESSIVE) also occur. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p903)	MS (Multiple Sclerosis),Multiple Sclerosis, Acute Fulminating,Sclerosis, Disseminated,Disseminated Sclerosis,Sclerosis, Multiple
D011181	Postnatal Care	The care provided to women and their NEWBORNS for the first few months following CHILDBIRTH.	Postpartum Care,Postpartum Programs,Care, Postnatal,Care, Postpartum,Postpartum Program,Program, Postpartum,Programs, Postpartum
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011248	Pregnancy Complications	Conditions or pathological processes associated with pregnancy. They can occur during or after pregnancy, and range from minor discomforts to serious diseases that require medical interventions. They include diseases in pregnant females, and pregnancies in females with diseases.	Adverse Birth Outcomes,Complications, Pregnancy,Adverse Birth Outcome,Birth Outcome, Adverse,Complication, Pregnancy,Outcome, Adverse Birth,Pregnancy Complication
D005260	Female		Females
D006113	United Kingdom	Country in northwestern Europe including Great Britain and the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland, located between the North Sea and north Atlantic Ocean. The capital is London.	Great Britain,Isle of Man
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man