I've helped several mothers wean in order to take multiple sclerosis medications. All of them were upset about cutting breastfeeding short, but they understood that to prevent a relapse they needed take their medications, which they were advised are not compatible with breastfeeding.
But a new study suggests - and I should point out that the sample size was only 61 - that weaning to take MS medications may actually increase the risk of relapse.
Modern Medicine reports that the study, based at Stanford University, found:
Among
the multiple sclerosis patients, the researchers found that the rate of
postpartum relapse was significantly lower among those who breast-fed
exclusively for at least two months compared to those who did not
breast-feed or began regular supplemental feedings within two months
postpartum (36 percent versus 87 percent). Although most of the women
who avoided breast-feeding did so in order to resume multiple sclerosis
therapy, the researchers found that the risk of relapse was
significantly higher among those who restarted therapy within two
months postpartum than in those who did not, regardless of
breast-feeding status. They also found that exclusive breast-feeding
was associated with a later return of menses.
"Our findings call into question the benefit of foregoing breast-feeding in order to start multiple sclerosis therapies
and should be confirmed in a larger study," the authors conclude.
I'd note that the author feels that this finding needs to be confirmed in a larger study, but I think that this news heartening for those mothers who want to both breastfeed and prevent a relapse.
Have any of you had to cut breastfeeding short to take MS medications?
Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog? Subscribe here. Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here. Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes? Click here.
