Health Issues in Women with Multiple Sclerosis

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-ix

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2. Genetic Considerations and Reproductive Planning in Women with MS

   • A. Dessa Sadovnick

   Pages 1-8

3. Fertility and Assisted Reproductive Techniques in Women with MS

   • Kerstin Hellwig, Barabra Brzosko, Laura Airas, Emma K. Smith

   Pages 9-17

4. Pregnancy Considerations and Pregnancy Outcomes in Women with MS

   • Marie B. D’hooghe, Tatjana Reynders, Jacques De Keyser

   Pages 19-34

5. Treatment Considerations in Female MS Patients of Reproductive Age

   • Maria K. Houtchens, Caila B. Vaughn, Shahzad Mehr, Aisha Bushra, Katelyn Kavak, Channa Kolb et al.

   Pages 35-48

6. Pregnancy Registries and Longitudinal Data Collection

   • Sura Alwan, Kerstin Hellwig

   Pages 49-62

7. Reproductive Issues in Multiple Sclerosis: Parental MS and Child Outcomes (The Research Perspective)

   • Neda Razaz, K. S. Joseph, Ruth Ann Marrie, Helen Tremlett

   Pages 63-72

8. MS in Adolescence

   • Kiandokht Keyhanian, Tanuja Chitnis

   Pages 73-83

9. Menopause and Multiple Sclerosis

   • Riley Bove

   Pages 85-96

10. Multiple Sclerosis, Gender, and Disorders of Behavior

    • Anthony Feinstein, Bennis Pavisian

    Pages 97-106

11. Health-Related Quality of Life in Women with Multiple Sclerosis

    • Allison LaRussa, Bonnie I. Glanz

    Pages 107-112

12. Women and Neurological Disability: End-of-Life Care and Mortality in Women with MS

    • John R. Rinker II, Gary Cutter

    Pages 113-126

13. Back Matter

    Pages 127-131

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This book addresses specific concerns of females affected by multiple sclerosis, where women are disproportionally impacted by the disease. MS is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system affecting young adults of reproductive age. This book presents the current understanding of genetic variables, hormonal influences, immunological milieu and neurological outcomes, discussing issues such as fertility, pregnancy management, and menopause, as well as end of life care and mortality in women with MS. With contributions by international experts, this interdisciplinary book will serve as a useful reference and guide for MS specialists, general neurologists, obstetricians/gynecologists, physicians in training, family practice doctors, clinical nurse specialists in multiple sclerosis, and all other healthcare professionals involved in the care and treatment of women affected by MS.​

• Multiple Sclerosis
• breastfeeding
• neurologic disorders
• pregnancy
• reproduction
• women

• Partners MS Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA

  Maria K. Houtchens

• MS Clinic UBC Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, Vancouver, Canada

  A. Dessa Sadovnick

Dr. Houtchens is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School. She works as a Director of Women’s Health Program at the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She is a member of the Health Care Advisory Committee with the National MS Society, and multinational collaborative groups on Reproductive and Child Health and MS. Dr. Houtchens is the Principle Investigator of a New England multicenter study on Pregnancy and Multiple Sclerosis. She presented and published extensively on topics of MS and Women’s Health and is considered an expert in this field of neurology.

Dr. Sadovnick is a Professor in the Department of Medical Genetics and the Faculty of Medicine, Division of Neurology, UBC. She was the Director of the Western Pacific Regional Research and Training Center for Multiple Sclerosis, established by the MS Society of Canada. Dr. Sadovnick is the Principal Investigator of several multicenter Canadian and International collaborative research projects on Multiple Sclerosis and pediatric Multiple Sclerosis. 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.

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