Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 15, 2026

A Novel Use of Three-dimensional High-frequency Ultrasonography for Early Pregnancy Characterization in the Mouse
Published on: October 24, 2017
Disease activity following pregnancy-related discontinuation of natalizumab in MS
Iris Kleerekooper1, Zoé L E van Kempen1, Cyra E Leurs1
1Department of Neurology (I.K., Z.L.E.v.K., C.E.L., I.D., C.E.P.v.M., B.A.d.J., B.W.v.O., B.M.J.U., J.K.), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VUmc MS Center Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center; Department of Immunology (T.R.), Landsteiner Laboratory Sanquin Research, Amsterdam; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (B.I.L.-W.), VU University Medical Center; and Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine (I.D., M.P.W.), VUmc MS Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Objective:
To investigate disease activity and disability progression following pregnancy-related discontinuation of natalizumab (NTZ) in patients with relapsing-remitting MS.
Methods:
A retrospective cohort study of clinical and radiologic data in patients who discontinued NTZ for pregnancy-related reasons.
Results:
Twenty-two pregnancy-related NTZ discontinuations in 17 patients were evaluated. The median time to conception was 3.4 months. Relapses were more frequent in patients in whom conception did not occur within 6 months (p = 0.022). Confirmed disability progression occurred in 27.3% and was associated with time to conception (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
Early conception after NTZ discontinuation is associated with a reduced risk of disease activity and disability progression. Continuation of NTZ treatment until confirmed pregnancy should be considered in patients with previously active MS. However, the advantages of continuing the drug until pregnancy should be balanced against the uncertainties in postnatal outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
Limits with Oscillating Discontinuities
Improper Integrals: Discontinuous Integrands
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Active Drug, Metabolite and Fraction of Metabolized Drug
Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by...
Co-activators and Co-repressors
tRNA Activation

