INTRODUCTION: The influence of breastfeeding and it´s duration on the course of multiple sclerosis (MS) is unclear. Here we analyzed a real-world data for breastfeeding women with MS and their disease course collected from a Czech national registry ReMuS. OBJECTIVES: To identify risk factors associated with not initiating breastfeeding after delivery, to analyze the impact of breastfeeding on the MS disease course, evaluate the assumption, that breastfeeding is not harmful in MS patients, and compare the disease course by breastfeeding status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using propensity score matching we compared Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), confirmed disease worsening (CDW) and annual relapse rate (ARR) in breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding MS patients according to disease duration, disease modifying treatment (DMT) before pregnancy, last EDSS score before conception, age, and ARR during pregnancy. We also compared these parameters between breastfeeding patients not using a DMT and non-breastfeeding patients who resumed DMT within 3 months after delivery. EDSS, ARR, and CDW were collected at 12, 24, and 36 months after delivery. RESULTS: A total of 1681 pregnancies that ended in delivery were analyzed from 2013 through 2020. Change in ARR and EDSS values and 6-months CDW did not significantly differ between the analyzed groups. Compared with non-breastfeeding women who resumed DMT early after delivery, breastfeeding women with MS did not experience worse clinical outcomes even without initiating a DMT. DISCUSSION: Breastfeeding in Czech women with MS did not negatively affect the disease course and can be supported. Patients with MS can be treated with certain DMTs alongside breastfeeding and there is no need to stop breastfeeding, if the patient is clinically stable.

1st Department of Neurology University Hospital U Svate Anny Brno Czech Republic

Department of Neurology 2nd Faculty of Medicine and Motol University Hospital Charles University Prague Czech Republic

Department of Neurology 3rd Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague and Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady Prague Czech Republic

Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague and General University Hospital Prague Czech Republic

Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague and General University Hospital Prague Czech Republic; Department of Neurology KZ a s Hospital Teplice Czech Republic

Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague and General University Hospital Prague Czech Republic; IMPULS Endowment Fund ReMuS Registry Czech Republic

Department of Neurology Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Hradec Kralove Charles University Prague Czech Republic

Department of Neurology Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital in Pilsen Charles University

Department of Neurology Faculty of Medicine Palacky University and University Hospital Olomouc Czech Republic

Department of Neurology Hospital Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic

Department of Neurology Hospital of Jihlava Czech Republic

Department of Neurology Hospital Pardubice Czech Republic

Department of Neurology Tomas Bata Hospital Zlin Czech Republic

Department of Neurology University Hospital and Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic

Department of Neurology University Hospital Ostrava Czech Republic

Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen The Institute for the Care of Mother and Child Prague Czech Republic

Faculty of Medicine Ostrava University Czech Republic; Department of Neurology University Hospital Ostrava Czech Republic

IMPULS Endowment Fund ReMuS Registry Czech Republic; Department of Economic Statistics Prague University of Economics and Business Prague Czech Republic

IMPULS Endowment Fund ReMuS Registry Czech Republic; Prague University of Economics and Business Czech Republic

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