The MotherPod Ep. 11: Family Planning with MS ft. Cheryl Blaschuk

It may be almost Thanksgiving, but we’re taking you back to July with the latest episode of the MotherPod to feature an interview we did at the WWHF’s Annual GrapeVine Conference with speaker, Cheryl Blaschuk. As a nurse practitioner, Cheryl’s specialty has been entirely in Neurology and almost exclusively in multiple sclerosis care. She works for Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin in the multiple sclerosis and comprehensive headache programs. She sat down with us to share information about MS, how MS interacts with pregnancy/family planning, and what to do with a new MS diagnosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease, which affects women two to three times more than men. Young women, ages 20-50, of northern European ancestry are most likely to be diagnosed, but MS can occur in any ethnic group (and often is more aggressive in less affected populations). Wisconsin has one of the higher prevalence rates in the country, which is thought to be related to potential environmental risk factors such as less sunlight exposure and consequent low vitamin D levels.

Symptoms of MS change over time and are rather unpredictable. This can be a concern for women who are planning families and worried about how MS might affect a pregnancy. Of course, there are many factors to consider with family planning, but Cheryl says that women with MS certainly can have children. In fact, pregnancy is somewhat protective. “When women who have MS become pregnant, most of them will tell you they feel the best they ever felt… The theory is that [the immune system] calms down while a women carries a baby to term.” The highest risk period for an MS relapse is actually the 12 weeks postpartum due to shifting hormones, fatigue, etc. Years ago, women may have been told not to have children because of the risk of relapse, but that’s not the case now. “The disease is unique on every single patient,” Cheryl says. “Work with your OB/GYN and neurologist to make sure you are making the choices that are right for you.”

It’s OK not to know everything about MS, especially if you are newly diagnosed, but it’s important to know where to find the right information. Visit the MS Society’s website for resources you can trust. And make sure to listen to the entire podcast with Cheryl for more on MS and family planning!