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@Dinocorn 

Last reply

Dinocorn

Pregnancy & Copaxone

Hi everyone, I'm new here and I've avoided talking to other people with MS until now because basically I've been coming to terms with my diagnosis. I was diagnosed in October 2016 and I have RRMS. I am on Copaxone (3 shots/wk) and I am generally well. My last two MRIs have been good and two lesions on my brain have disappeared/healed/or something! I was wondering if anyone has ever fallen pregnant and had a healthy baby whilst on Copaxone? My Neuro said that it's perfectly safe and has advised me to go get pregnant and stay on the Copaxone. I really want to have a baby (I have two beautiful children already) but I am a little scared about staying on Copaxone and I'm also scared about having a relapse after I deliver. Any and all advice is very welcome. Thank you so much.
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@Stumbler
@Stumbler
 

Hi @dinocorn and welcome. Hopefully, the following will help you decide what to do:- https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com/2017/05/08/study-indicates-relapsing-ms-patients-can-use-copaxone-without-harming-fetus/ There are a couple of earlier questions on Shift. Use the Forum Search function, magnifying glass at top left. and search for "Copaxone pregnancy". Good luck with whatever you decide.

@poppy12
@poppy12
 

Hi @dinocorn I am on Copaxone and not preventing (!) to conceive. My understanding is that Copaxone is the first and only DMT which you can take while ttc & throughout pregnancy. Lemtrada would work too, as it leaves the system within a relatively short time. I'm not sure of the exact date, but in Europe/UK Copaxone was only approved for pregnancy sometime in 2017 and the American approval came shortly before that. As such, I'm not sure how many Copaxone mums there realistically are yet (and how easy it would be to find them given they'd have a relatively newborn baby to deal with). I also understand that the FDA classifies Copaxone as Class B drug with respect to pregnancy, i.e. 'no evidence of harm', which is different from 'evidence of no harm' if you see what I mean. That said, as far as I know Copaxone is a synthetic version of key elements in the myelin our bodies produce naturally, so there shouldn't really be much risk and the regulators wouldn't have given approval if there was substantial risk. Good luck and lots of fun trying to conceive :) poppy