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Multiple sclerosis: why are women three times more affected?

Do sex hormones influence the progression of Multiple sclerosis, as is seen for many autoimmune diseases? The question is all the more relevant since multiple sclerosis preferentially affects women over men, and particularly those of childbearing age. MS impacts the quality of life of patients, but thanks to research and advances in imaging, treatment is less delayed than before. 

How does multiple sclerosis start: what are the first signs, how is the disease discovered?

The first symptoms of Multiple sclerosis vary greatly depending on the person, the form and the stage of the disease. MS can occur at the beginning with a sudden attack, with the sudden onset of one or more neurological symptoms (double or reduced vision, muscle weakness, balance disorders, decreased motility, tingling, urinary disorders, etc.). If these symptoms already exist, the attack worsens them. Extreme fatigue often accompanies the symptoms of MS. The relapsing-remitting form of MS is the most common , with 85% of cases at the onset of the disease. The diagnosis is made by the doctor, who notes the presence of lesions via the symptoms presented by the patient.

MS in young women: why are they more frequently affected, at what age?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects thecentral nervous system . It most often affects young adults and is the leading cause of severe non-traumatic disability in people in their thirties. In France, approximately 110,000 people suffer from multiple sclerosis. The disease is much more common in women , with a ratio of approximately one man for every three women. However, some forms of MS affect men as much as women.


According to Inserm, symptoms appear on average around the age of 30. Due to its possible progression and the absence of curative treatment, MS is the leading cause of severe non-traumatic disability in young adults .


There would therefore be a relationship between MS and the role of sex hormones. The various studies on estrogens, progesterone and testosterone have shown that these sex hormones have a major neurotrophic and immunomodulatory action on the central nervous system. The increase in the secretion of these hormones and natural corticosteroids during pregnancy explains the sharp decrease in flare-ups in patients in the third trimester of pregnancy. Conversely, the drop in sex hormones after pregnancy explains the reappearance of flare-ups. (to find out more, read our article " Multiple sclerosis and the desire to have a child ").

More recently, scientists have shown that even though male hormones – androgens – are present at very low levels in women, their presence is necessary to regenerate the myelin sheath that is destroyed in multiple sclerosis. Inserm researcher Elisabeth Traiffort in unit U1195 “Diseases and hormones of the nervous system” (Inserm/Université Paris-Saclay) confirms: “ Our data suggest the use of appropriate doses of androgens in women with multiple sclerosis and the need to take into consideration the patient's sex in the therapeutic approach to this pathology and probably other pathologies involving destruction of the myelin of the central nervous system.”


Research into the benefits of using sex hormones to prevent outbreaks is ongoing.


Are multiple sclerosis and contraception compatible?

Contraception is not contraindicated for women with Multiple sclerosis . Women of childbearing age who are taking long-term treatment for the disease are even required to use effective contraception. Indeed, taking immunosuppressants and immunomodulators (to a lesser extent) poses risks to the development of the embryo and fetus. Scientific studies also agree that oral contraception has no effect on the progression of the disease.

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