Despite affecting over 2.8 million people globally - three-quarters of whom are women - research on women’s health in multiple sclerosis (MS) has largely focused on pregnancy and sexual dysfunction, with limited attention to menopause, contraception, and gynecologic cancers. These gaps persist even though women with MS commonly face challenges related to these underexplored areas across their lifespan. To address this misalignment between clinical needs and research focus, a global priority-setting initiative involving over 5,000 participants - including people with MS, clinicians, and researchers - identified menopause, sexual dysfunction, pregnancy, cancer screening, hormonal influences, and parenting as top research priorities. The results offer a clear framework to guide future MS research that better reflects the real-world concerns of women living with the disease.
Author(s):
Lindsay Ross et al.
References including authors:
Ross L, Finlayson M, Amato MP, Cohen JA, Hellwig K, Tintoré M, Vukusic S, Salter A, Marrie RA. Priority setting: women's health topics in multiple sclerosis. Front Neurol. 2024 Feb 19;15:1355817. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1355817. PMID: 38440114; PMCID: PMC10910071.