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:
"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?
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