Systematic review versus internet search: considerations about availability and reliability of medical information regarding pregnancy in women with multiple sclerosisOBJECTIVE: To compare the results from a systematic medical review and meta-analysis on the subject of pregnancy and multiple sclerosis (MS) with an internet review based on lay sites conducted by experts in computer-mediated communication, on the same subject. METHODS: The two reviews were carried out independently in English. Three medical doctors with experience in systematic reviews and two communication experts with experience in internet searching tools performed the study. RESULTS: Data from the medical systematic review showed some differences from that of highly accessed websites. CONCLUSION: Evidence-based studies conducted under the strictest rules for careful systematic reviews and meta-analyses should be available with open access, i.e. accessible without payment of a fee, thereby enabling worldwide knowledge on matters of great interest to healthcare providers and patients.
Multiple sclerosis; Pregnancy; Systematic review; Meta-analysis; Internet
