Intended Parents

Can You Get Pregnant with MS? When to Consider Surrogacy

Yes, you can get pregnant with MS, and many women with multiple sclerosis do conceive and deliver healthy babies. However, getting pregnant with MS involves complex considerations around medication management, relapse risks, and physical challenges that can make pregnancy and parenting more difficult.

For women with progressive MS, frequent relapses, or mobility limitations, surrogacy offers a path to biological parenthood without the physical demands and health risks that pregnancy might create.

Get Help from a Surrogacy Specialist

Here’s what you need to know about fertility with MS, when pregnancy becomes too challenging, and how surrogacy can help you become a parent while protecting your health and managing your condition.

Can You Get Pregnant with MS?

Absolutely—multiple sclerosis doesn’t typically cause infertility, and many women with MS conceive naturally and have successful pregnancies. However, the reality is more complex than a simple yes or no answer.

Here’s what is normally expected in pregnancy if you have MS:

Fertility rates are generally normal in women with MS
Relapsing-remitting MS may actually improve during pregnancy for some women
Men with MS can experience fertility challenges due to sexual dysfunction or medication effects
Disease progression and disability level significantly impact pregnancy feasibility

However, there are also some potential issues:

Medication discontinuation is required for many MS drugs during pregnancy
There is a higher risk of postpartum relapses when hormones shift
Physical demands of pregnancy and parenting can be difficult with mobility limitations
Fatigue and neurological symptoms that can worsen during pregnancy

The Hidden Ways MS Affects Your Fertility Journey

While MS itself rarely causes direct infertility, the condition creates indirect challenges that many couples don’t anticipate when they start trying to conceive. Some couples find that getting pregnant with MS takes longer than expected, even when fertility testing shows normal results, and these are some of the possible underlying reasons:

Sexual dysfunction affecting both partners’ ability to conceive naturally
Medication side effects that impact libido and reproductive function
Fatigue and weakness making frequent conception attempts difficult
Mobility limitations affecting positioning and timing for optimal conception
Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) that must be discontinued before trying to conceive
Washout periods required before attempting pregnancy, during which MS may worsen
Hormonal contraception interactions with MS medications affecting fertility planning
Uncertainty about safe medications during conception attempts

When IVF Keeps Failing: Is Your MS Medication the Real Problem?

IVF with MS presents unique challenges that many fertility clinics aren’t fully prepared to address.

The intersection of neurological medication, immune system dysfunction, and fertility treatments can create unexpected obstacles like:

Medication interactions between fertility drugs and MS treatments
Immune system dysfunction affecting implantation success
Stress response complications from IVF procedures potentially triggering relapses
Physical limitations making frequent monitoring appointments and procedures challenging
Cognitive symptoms affecting adherence to complex IVF protocols

IVF success rates with Multiple Sclerosis may be lower than average due to these compounding factors, leading to repeated failures despite seemingly good embryo quality and standard fertility parameters.

Risks and Challenges of Carrying a Pregnancy with MS

Risks of getting pregnant with MS extend beyond typical pregnancy complications, and are worth considering before becoming pregnant.

Neurological Risks Can Include:

Increased relapse risk in the postpartum period (up to 70% in some studies)
Disease progression potentially accelerated by pregnancy stress
Medication management complications affecting both mother and baby
Cognitive changes that may worsen during pregnancy and interfere with prenatal care

Physical Pregnancy Challenges Can Include:

Severe fatigue compounded by pregnancy exhaustion
Mobility limitations worsening as pregnancy progresses
Balance and coordination issues increasing fall risk
Heat sensitivity making pregnancy discomfort more severe
Bladder dysfunction complications during pregnancy

Maternal and Fetal Risks Can Include:

Higher rates of pregnancy complications including preterm birth
Medication teratogenicity when MS drugs are continued
Withdrawal symptoms when MS medications are discontinued
Emergency situations where MS symptoms complicate medical care

Parenting Considerations Can Include:

Physical demands of infant care with mobility limitations
Sleep deprivation potentially triggering relapses
Breastfeeding limitations due to necessary MS medications
Long-term parenting concerns about progressive disability

Considering Surrogacy if You Have MS

When getting pregnant with MS poses significant challenges or risks, surrogacy can give you a path forward with fewer worries and complications

When Surrogacy May Be Recommended:

Progressive forms of MS where pregnancy stress could accelerate decline
Severe mobility limitations that would make pregnancy management difficult
Frequent relapses that could be triggered by pregnancy hormones
Essential MS medications that cannot be safely discontinued
Previous pregnancy complications related to MS symptoms

How Surrogacy Addresses MS Challenges:

No medication discontinuation required for intended parents
No pregnancy-related relapses to manage
No physical demands of pregnancy with mobility limitations
No heat sensitivity or pregnancy discomfort complications
Preserved energy for parenting instead of pregnancy management

Rather than risking disease progression or pregnancy complications, surrogacy allows you to focus on preparing for parenthood while maintaining your health management routine.

Your Baby Can Still Be Genetically Related Despite MS

One of the most important things to understand about surrogacy is that your MS diagnosis doesn’t affect your genetic connection to your child. With gestational surrogacy, an embryo can be created using your genetic material.

You can often use:

Your eggs (MS doesn’t typically affect egg quality or quantity)
Your partner’s sperm
Existing frozen embryos from previous IVF attempts

While MS has a genetic component, the inheritance risk is relatively low (2-5% if one parent has MS). Most children of parents with MS do not develop the condition, and genetic counseling can help you understand your specific risk factors.

If you’re concerned about MS inheritance, preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) may be available for certain genetic markers associated with increased MS risk, though this is still an emerging area of research.

How Surrogacy Works for Intended Parents with MS

The surrogacy process is designed to be manageable for intended parents with physical limitations or chronic conditions, with agencies handling most of the complex logistics:

Choose an agency with experience supporting intended parents with medical challenges. We can help you find a reputable agency that understands your unique needs.

Your agency will help match you with a pre-screened gestational carrier who meets medical and psychological requirements.

Comprehensive legal agreements protect all parties and clarify responsibilities, compensation, and medical decisions.

Your embryos are transferred to your surrogate's uterus through a simple medical procedure.

Your surrogate carries your baby while your agency coordinates care, communication, and logistics leading to your child's birth.

How to Find a Surrogate Who Gets the MS Journey

Working with the right agency is crucial when MS affects your family planning, as they understand that choosing surrogacy often involves complex emotions around disability, limitation, and parenting capability.

Prioritize Agencies That Offer:

Pre-screened surrogate databases to speed matching and reduce emotional energy expenditure
Accessibility accommodations for meetings, communications, and legal processes
Financial protection programs, which can be especially important if MS-related expenses strain budgets
Disability-informed counseling from professionals who understand chronic illness and family planning
Flexible communication options that work with any cognitive or physical limitations

Learn about realistic surrogacy timelines and how choosing an experienced agency can streamline the process for families managing chronic conditions.

Investing in Surrogacy vs. The Cost of Years of Failed MS-Complicated IVF

When IVF repeatedly fails due to MS-related medication interactions, physical challenges, or stress-related complications, the financial comparison between continued fertility treatments and surrogacy becomes compelling.

For many MS families, surrogacy provides better success rates, defined timelines, and reduced medical complexity compared to continued IVF attempts.

Surrogacy Total Investment Average: $100,000-$200,000+

Agency fees
Surrogate compensation
Medical expenses
Legal fees
Insurance, travel, and miscellaneous expenses

Compare to MS-Complicated IVF:

Average IVF cycle: $15,000-$20,000
Medication management costs: Additional $2,000-$5,000 per cycle
Neurologist coordination: $500-$1,500 per attempt
Success rates with MS: Often lower than average due to complications
Multiple cycle reality: $45,000-$100,000+ with uncertain outcomes

Financing When MS Has Already Drained Your Resources

Don’t let previous medical expenses prevent you from exploring surrogacy. MS patients may qualify for specialized financing options not available to other intended parents:

Medical necessity programs through fertility financing companies
Disability-specific grants for family building when pregnancy is contraindicated
Insurance appeals for coverage when pregnancy poses MS-related risks
Personal medical loans with favorable rates for documented medical necessity
401(k) hardship withdrawals for medical family-building needs
Crowdfunding platforms specifically designed for medical expenses and disability needs

Some families find that using existing frozen embryos from previous IVF attempts significantly reduces surrogacy costs.

Breaking Free from MS Guilt: You Deserve to Become a Parent

One of the most challenging aspects of getting pregnant with MS is the guilt and self-doubt that often accompanies family planning decisions. Many people with MS struggle with feelings that they don’t deserve parenthood or that their condition makes them inadequate parents.

Connect with Understanding Online Communities:

Multiple Sclerosis Community – Support for living with MS and major life decisions
IVF Community – Experiences with fertility treatments and alternative paths
Infertility Support – Honest discussions about non-traditional family building

Professional Support for MS Families:

Therapists experienced with disability and family planning
Support groups for parents and prospective parents with chronic conditions
Genetic counseling to understand MS inheritance risks and options
Disability parenting resources that focus on strengths and adaptations

Stop Struggling and Start Your Path to Parenthood Today

If IVF complications, medication management challenges, or risks of getting pregnant with MS have left you feeling stuck, surrogacy can offer the path forward you’ve been seeking.

What Surrogacy Offers:

Biological parenthood without risking MS progression
Energy preservation for the actual demands of parenting
Medical stability throughout your family-building journey
Success rates often higher than MS-complicated IVF
Timeline certainty after years of uncertain fertility treatments

The strength you’ve shown in managing MS is the same strength that will make you an amazing parent. Don’t let fear or guilt prevent you from exploring every option available to build your family.

Ready to explore how surrogacy can complete your family while respecting your MS management? Contact specialists who understand complex medical decisions and can guide you through a process designed with your needs in mind.

This article is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare providers before making any decisions about pregnancy, fertility treatments, or family-building options based on your individual medical condition.