Pregnancy rates in women with multiple sclerosis (MS) have been increasing, according to a recent study. In addition, high rates of claims for several peripartum complications were observed in women with and those without MS. In a retrospective US administrative claims study, researchers used data from January 1, 2006, to June 30, 2015. All data for women with MS were included. A nationally representative 5% random sample from approximately 58 million women without MS was used to compute the dataset. They found:

• From 2006 to 2014, the adjusted proportion of women with MS and pregnancy increased from 7.91% to 9.47%; the adjusted proportion without MS and with pregnancy decreased from 8.83% to 7.75%.
• The difference in linear trend (0.17% increase and 0.15% decrease in per-annum pregnancy rates) was significant (t statistic = 7.8).
• After matching (n=2,115 per group), a higher proportion of women with MS than without had claims for premature labor, infection, cardiovascular disease, anemia/acquired coagulation disorders, neurologic complications, sexually transmitted diseases, acquired fetal damage, and congenital fetal malformations.