Strategies to Reduce Pregnancy/Postpartum Relapse Risk

Volume 3, Issue 1

Strategies to Reduce Pregnancy/Postpartum Relapse Risk

In this issue:

Does pregnancy provide protection against multiple sclerosis (MS) activity? Is there an increased risk of relapse in the postpartum period? Does the decision to breastfeed play a role? Should MS treatment continue throughout the pregnancy, and with which agents? What do the current data say?

These are the questions Dr. Kristen Krysko and Dr. Emmanuelle Waubant from the University of California San Francisco address in this first issue of Volume 3 of eMultipleSclerosis Review.

Learning objectives:

Summarize the risk, and factors associated with the risk, of MS relapses during pregnancy and postpartum.
Identify management strategies before, during, and after pregnancy to decrease the risk of MS relapses and disability accrual.

Authors:

Kristen M Krysko, MD, MAS, FRCPC

Neuroimmunology Clinical Research Fellow
Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology
University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

Emmanuelle Waubant, MD, PhD

Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics
Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology
University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

Guest Faculty Disclosures

Dr. Krysko has indicated that she has received partial support of fellowship by Biogen.

Dr. Waubant has indicated that she has served as a consultant for Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals and Jazz Pharmaceuticals.

Unlabeled/Unapproved Uses

Dr. Krysko has disclosed that she will be discussing the use of disease-modifying therapies before/during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, with timing that differs from FDA product labels for drugs including glatiramer acetate, interferon-beta, natalizumab, rituximab, and ocrelizumab. Rituximab is not approved for use in MS.

Program Directors:

Michael Kornberg, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Neurology
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD

Pavan Bhargava, MBBS, MD

Assistant Professor
Department of Neurology
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD

Lisa Fox, PA-C, MPAS

Department of Neurology
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, MD

Guest Faculty Disclosures:

Dr. Krysko has indicated that she has received partial support of fellowship by Biogen.

Dr. Waubant has indicated that she has served as a consultant for Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals and Jazz Pharmaceuticals.

Unlabeled/Unapproved Uses:

Length of activity:

1.0 hour Physicians
1.0 contact hour Nurses

Launch date: June 5, 2020
Expiration date: June 4, 2022

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