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Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects women twice as often as men, and the disease has a significant impact on their situation – especially when it comes to family, social roles and life choices. The complete loss or limitation of life comfort related to the course of the disease is of great importance for women. They need support in many areas.
“Women with MS”
Fear of the disease and seeing a multiple sclerosis diagnosis as a judgment contribute to many decisions made by patients, such as dropping out of studies, work, promotion, and motherhood. This was shown in the “Women with MS” report commissioned by Merck, which assessed the situation of women suffering from multiple sclerosis not only in Poland, but also in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Great Britain. It showed a clear impact of the diagnosis of this disease on both private and professional lives of patients. Many of the decisions of women with MS are influenced by stereotypes about the disease.
Treatment
In the treatment of multiple sclerosis, it is extremely important to recognize the disease at an early stage. In addition, a dialogue with the doctor and maintaining a partner relationship with him are of key importance. If the patient wants to fight the disease, he should openly talk about his plans and needs, so that the doctor, based on this knowledge, can decide on the choice of therapy tailored to the patient’s lifestyle.
Maternity
Women with MS often give up motherhood because they are afraid of both the child’s disease and the impact of pregnancy on their health. Indeed, in the past, women with MS were advised against motherhood, but now these views have changed dramatically. Pregnancy has an immunosuppressive effect, i.e. it inhibits the woman’s immune system. During this time, relapses of MS are rare. In the postpartum period, the risk of relapse increases, but this mainly applies to patients with high disease activity before pregnancy. If a woman is well treated before pregnancy, there are no relapses, then the risk of relapses in puerperium is very small. Overall, most women with MS can think about motherhood, bearing in mind that their pregnancies need to be planned. A woman planning a pregnancy should discuss this with the treating doctor.
Women also fear that they will pass the disease on to their offspring. The development of multiple sclerosis is influenced by a certain genetic predisposition for autoimmune diseases, but it is not hereditary. Most people with MS do not have a family relative.
Professional work and physical activity
As for professional work and the pursuit of your passions, current therapies already offer many opportunities. It aims to keep patients in the best possible condition. The choice of therapy depends on the patient’s condition and disease activity. A very important element of maintaining a good quality of life of the patient is also regular physical activity adjusted to the severity of the disease. Thanks to it, people with MS who become ill are able to work normally. However, in patients with a more advanced stage of the disease, it is important to adjust working conditions, e.g. flexible working hours, which would enable them to continue their professional activity. The prognosis for multiple sclerosis has changed significantly in recent years. Currently, it is possible to adjust the type of treatment to the patient’s lifestyle, which allows them to maintain good fitness and a better quality of life.
Multiple sclerosis is a disease that significantly reduces the quality and comfort of life and affects the life choices of women with MS. Today, they are struggling with the problems of delayed diagnosis of the disease, resignation from career development, motherhood or passion. However, thanks to the changing situation regarding personalization of treatment, people with MS want and can work, live and pursue their dreams normally.
Dr. n.med. Aleksandra Podlecka-Piętowska, a neurologist
Department and Clinic of Neurology at the Medical University of Warsaw