Risks During Pregnancy for Epileptics

Risks During Pregnancy for Epileptics

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QUESTION: I'm pregnant and have epilepsy. Though I am quite anxious, I would
like some direct answers to my questions. What sort of risks do I face? Is
my unborn baby in any danger?
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ANSWER: I'll do my best to tell it as it is without causing you any
additional worries. Epilepsy is the most common neurological problem among
pregnant women--it occurs in .3 to .5% of all pregnancies. However, epileptic
patients do face increased risks during pregnancy.
First there are the risks that result just from having epilepsy. These
include a greater likelihood of spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, toxemia, and
preterm delivery. Epileptic women are also more likely to have labor induced
or to need medical intervention during delivery. Frequency of an epileptic
woman's seizures may change during pregnancy too. The news is not all bad
here, though. Seizures can increase, come on for the first time, stay the
same, or decrease. Increased seizures are often the result of the woman's
failing to take her anticonvulsant medication. They may also be due to her
changing metabolism or her weight gain--both of which can affect the level of
medication in the body.
Sometimes epileptic women experience fewer seizures during pregnancy.
This is usually due to the fact that they are paying special attention to
taking their medicine. Women who experience seizures for the first time
during pregnancy are said to have gestational epilepsy. Usually these women
are put on an anticonvulsant drug. As for the baby, infants born to epileptic
mothers have a greater risk of premature birth. Even babies who are carried
for the full nine months often weigh less than the average newborn at birth.
Babies of epileptic mothers have a 4 to 5 percent risk of having congenital
abnormalities. If the mother is on anticonvulsants, the baby has a 6 to 11
percent risk. The most common abnormalities involve the facial cleft or the
heart, and are often accompanied by mental retardation. Because of the risks
involved, infants of epileptic mothers are generally monitored in an intensive
care nursery for at least 24 hours.
It is essential that you receive close medical attention during your
pregnancy to avoid as many of the problems and complications as possible. It
is the best way to deal with your understandable anxiety.