Investigating the Long-term Effect of Pregnancy on the Course of Multiple Sclerosis Using Causal Inference.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objectives

The question of the long-term safety of pregnancy is a major concern in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), but its study is biased by reverse causation (women with higher disability are less likely to experience pregnancy). Using a causal inference approach, we aimed to estimate the unbiased long-term effects of pregnancy on disability and relapse risk in patients with MS and secondarily the short-term effects (during the perpartum and postpartum years) and delayed effects (occurring beyond 1 year after delivery).

Methods

We conducted an observational cohort study with data from patients with MS followed in the Observatoire Français de la Sclérose en Plaques registry between 1990 and 2020. We included female patients with MS aged 18-45 years at

SUBMITTER: Gavoille A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10033171 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature