Duane O’Mahony & Anrai de Burca 
Women and Multiple Sclerosis 

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common chronic neurological disease of the central nervous system that affects over 2.4 million people worldwide. Disease onset usually occurs in young adults, and it is more common in females. The exact cause of MS is unknown, but an environmental factor is thought to trigger MS in genetically predisposed persons. This book focuses on MS and its effects on women with regards to quality of life, reproduction and bone health. Fatigue, as one of the most common symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), is also examined in this book – in particular, the relational coping strategies used by mothers with MS to manage their fatigue while parenting young children. A discussion on the sex related differences concerning MS presentation, signs and symptoms, therapeutics, response to treatment and quality of life among patient populations is included, as well as the relationship between self-efficacy, self-esteem, hope and disability in women with multiple sclerosis.