Current evidence and knowledge gaps in family planning and pregnancy in myasthenia gravis, NMOSD, and MOGAD.
Rotstein DL., Alroughani R., Arrambide G., Contentti EC., Chomba M., Fujihara K., Gilhus NE., Gouider R., Heckmann JM., Kim HJ., Li H-F., Leite MI., Monif M., Siritho S., Thiel S., Vishnevetsky A., Viswanathan S., Vukusic S., Yamout B., Kümpfel T., Hellwig K.
Myasthenia gravis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) are antibody-mediated neuroimmune disorders that frequently affect women in their reproductive years and require careful treatment planning around pregnancy. Disease exacerbations (for myasthenia gravis) and attacks (for NMOSD and MOGAD) can occur during pregnancy, are common postpartum, and can cause preventable, long-term maternal disability. Many drug labels are conservative or recommend unnecessary prolonged washouts or avoidance of breastfeeding, creating uncertainty for physicians and patients. This Personal View integrates available evidence on conventional immunosuppressants and biological therapies, including complement inhibition, B-cell depletion, and neonatal Fc receptor blockade. Although data on pregnancy safety for newer treatments are few, preliminary data suggest that selected therapies could be continued during pregnancy to maintain disease stability and are compatible with breastfeeding. We offer expert recommendations for therapy choice, infant vaccinations, and fetal and infant monitoring in myasthenia gravis, NMOSD, and MOGAD.