Q&A: Will my unborn baby have MS?

by Dr. Aubrey Milunsky

I am pregnant, and my husband just found out that he has MS. What are the chances that my unborn child will be unhealthy?

Multiple sclerosis is regarded as a disorder that arises as a consequence of some genetic predisposition as well as an environmental trigger. Neither the genes that predispose nor the environmental factors that precipitate the disorder are recognized. You have the same risks (three to four percent) as any other couple of your age (if under 35) of having a child with a birth defect, mental retardation or genetic disorder. The risk that your child will develop multiple sclerosis in adulthood is small, probably in the range of three to five percent, diminishing steadily after the age of 28 years.

Sign Up for Our Newsletters
Follow Us
from beyond babyzone:
Use a Facebook account to add a comment, subject to Facebook's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your Facebook name, profile photo and other personal information you make public on Facebook (e.g., school, work, current city, age) will appear with your comment. Comments, together with personal information accompanying them, may be used on BabyZone.com and other Disney media platforms. Learn More.
All the pregnancy info you need—from the first trimester to the last.
watch more videos
BabyZone Community
Look Who's Talking New
in BabyZone Community
From beyond babyzone
X

more in BabyZone

10 Excitingly Exotic Baby Names
10 Excitingly Exotic Baby Names
read more >
fetal development week 22

Enter your due date Don't know?
Privacy Policy
don't show this again

Your Pregnancy Newsletter X

fetal development week 22

Enter your due date Don't know?
Privacy Policy