Can people with Parkinson’s disease get pregnant?

Recently a young female patient with Parkinson’s disease encountered fertility problems and came to the clinic for help. I reviewed the literature for her and summarize it here for the benefit of patients with similar problems. In general, there is not much literature available for two reasons: first, there are more men than women with Parkinson’s disease, and some people have hypothesized that estrogen has a protective effect on Parkinson’s disease; second, most patients develop Parkinson’s disease after the age of 50 years, when women have passed their peak reproductive years. But it is true that for young women with early-onset Parkinson’s disease, the issue of fertility is a topic that cannot be avoided. I. The effect of childbirth on Parkinson’s disease Studies almost unanimously agree that childbirth will aggravate Parkinson’s disease, and about half of the patients have a rapid progression of the disease during or within a short period of time after childbirth, which is manifested by the exacerbation of motor symptoms (increase in UPDRS scores, increase in the need for medication, etc.) and the aggravation of non-motor symptoms. Second, the impact of Parkinson’s disease on fertility 1, the impact of genes: at present, for patients with early-onset Parkinson’s disease and Parkinson’s disease patients with a family history of Parkinson’s disease, genetic testing and diagnosis of the increasing importance, but because of a series of subsequent problems, this is not ethically mandatory examination. Therefore, this article will not explore this in depth. Personally, I believe that genetic testing is still worth considering out of the mentality of being responsible for the next generation. 2, the impact of drugs: It is very unfortunate that all Parkinson’s disease drugs are not absolutely safe in pregnancy. The available information is mainly based on experimental animal studies. Most of the drugs belong to category C and a few belong to category B (e.g., Pergolide and Bromocriptine), but are currently out of the prescription range due to other side effects. Therefore, the logic of medication selection is to choose the lesser of two evils. The most commonly cited drugs that should not be used are amantadine, which should be avoided at all costs, whether preconception, pregnancy, or breastfeeding; dopamine agonists, which have the effect of inhibiting prolactin secretion, and therefore should not be used for breastfeeding; and levodopa, which can pass through the placenta and affect fetal metabolism, but which some studies have suggested may still be the best choice in pregnancy compared to other drugs. (Attachment) III. ADVICE TO PATIENTS Although there have been cases of successful delivery, patients should carefully consider the following questions before becoming pregnant, including whether the change in their status is acceptable? Will the effect on work when symptoms worsen cause financial problems? How to solve the problem of nursing after delivery? Will you and your family be able to take care of the child’s upbringing? …… Hopefully, we will finally make a rational judgment and choice with the participation of our family members and doctors, and we also hope that society will pay more attention to this group and the problems faced by this group.