Taking the contraceptive Pill may increase a woman’s chance of developing multiple sclerosis, researchers warn. The risk of MS could be up to 50 per cent higher among women on the Pill, according to a new US study. The findings also show young obese women are at greater risk of the disease, probably because they produce higher levels of a hormone known to regulate appetite. Warning: A U.S. study of more than 3,300 women found more developed MS if they used the Pill Previous research had suggested that oral contraception could cut MS risk, or delay its onset. MS is the most common disabling neurological condition, affecting almost 100,000 Britons – 50 young people are diagnosed each week.
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Study examined 305 U.S. women diagnosed with MS and 3,050 without it
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Those who had used the Pill were 35 per cent more likely to develop MS
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Research presented at American Academy of Neurology in Philadelphia
Previously animal research led experts to believe female hormones might delay the onset of MS, and a British study suggested @placeholder users had a 40 per cent lower risk.