What Increases Your Risk

Your risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) increases with:⁴

• Geographic location, or where you lived during childhood (up to age 15). People who spend the first 15 years of their lives in colder climates that are further away from the equator tend to be more likely to develop MS than people who lived closer to the equator during those years.
• Family history of MS. People who have a parent or sibling (including an identical twin) with MS are at slightly higher risk of developing the disease.
• Race. People of Western European ancestry are more likely to develop MS. It is uncommon in Native Americans, Eskimos, Asians, and Africans.
• Being female. MS is about three times as common in women as in men.