For the fi rst time in Ukraine, was explored the eff ect of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period on the further course of multiple sclerosis (MS) in sporadic and family forms of women giving birth at the preclinical stage (group 1) and against the background of the disease (group 2). Through the use of questioning method and clinical and neurological examination the following phenomena were studied. Namely, premonitory history; features of the course of the disease; the duration between labor and development of the onset of the illness in women of the 1st group and between the onset and labor in women of the 2nd group; obstetric and gynecological history; the eff ect of pregnancy and childbirth on the further course of MS.

A total of 82 women were examined, 51 of them were giving birth at preclinical stage (group 1) and 31 — against the background of MS (group 2). In the 1st group with remitting course (RC), 26 women had a sporadic form and 5 — a family form; with progressive course (PC) — in 14 — sporadic and in 6 — family form. In the 2nd group with RC, 23 women had sporadic and 1 family form; with PC — 6 had sporadic and 1 family.

Research has shown, the disease of majority of women from the fi rst group has been developed after childbirth. Women from the second group with RC were giving birth most often after 5—10 years of the disease onset; with PC — after more than 10 years. According to the obstetric and gynecological history, diff erences were obtained during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period between two groups of women with diff erent types of course.

An assessment of the eff ects of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period of women from the 2nd group made it possible to identify criteria for various options for the further course of MS (such as improvement, stabilization, improvement through worsening, worsening), which are closely interrelated with the types of course of the disease. To sum up, an integrated analysis of the above mentioned outcome shows a positive eff ect of pregnancy and childbirth in the vast majority of women with RC and a high incidence of decline of women with PC.