What we do not know about pregnancy in hereditary neuromuscular disorders

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Neuromuscular Disorders Volume 19, Issue 10, Pages 675-679

(October 2009)

What we do not know about pregnancy in hereditary neuromuscular disorders

Zohar Argova, nne de Visserb

Abstract:

Only sparse information is available concerning the relationship between

pregnancy and hereditary neuromuscular disorders.

This review deals with several issues like the effects of such conditions on

female fertility (myotonic dystrophy type 1 and mitochondrial disorders), on the

risk to the fetus (myotonic dystrophy type 1 and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease),

on the ability to carry pregnancy and its complications (markedly increased

preterm labor in myotonic dystrophies and spinal muscular atrophy), on the labor

and its possible need for interventions (myotonic dystrophy type 1,

facioscapulohumeral dystrophy and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease).

It also discusses the question of pregnancy effects on the course of the

inherited neuromuscular disorders (myotonic dystrophies, spinal muscular

atrophy, facioscapulohumeral dystrophy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, congenital

myopathy and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy). The aim of this critical review is

to point at pregnancy-related problems that need further research.

Keywords: Neuromuscular disorders, Pregnancy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease,

Myotonic dystrophy, Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy

a Department of Neurology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem,

Israel

b Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands