Pregnancy may delay onset of MS, study claims

Pregnancy may delay the onset of multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms by more than three years, a study has indicated.

Researchers say the finding has implications for a greater understanding of the causes of MS as well as the potential use of hor - mo ne therapy to delay symptoms.

It is estimated that more than 2.5 million people worldwide have the condition, with women four times more likely to have the disease than men.

The study, which was run by Monash University in Australia, looked at whether pregnancy can delay the onset of MS, which is very frequently diagnosed in women of child bearing years.

It found women who have been pregnant were diagnosed with their first MS symptoms on average 3.3 years later than women who had never been pregnant.