This document discusses epilepsy in pregnancy, including its classification, effects on pregnancy, and management. It defines epilepsy as recurring spontaneous seizures due to excessive electrical discharge in the brain. During pregnancy, a woman's seizure frequency may increase, decrease, or remain unchanged. Having epilepsy can increase risks for the fetus like intrauterine growth restriction. Management involves preconception counseling, monotherapy with the lowest effective antiepileptic drug dose, folic acid supplementation, and seizure treatment if one occurs during labor. The risks of seizures and effects of antiepileptic drugs on the fetus require close monitoring throughout pregnancy.
2. Definition and Incidence
Epilepsy is recurring spontaneous seizures due to sudden
excessive and disordered electrical discharge from the
neurones of the Cerebral cortex.
7% of epileptic women become pregnant
epilepsy affects about 0.5-1% of pregnant women.
Epilepsy can be partial or generalized.
3. Classification Of Epilepsy
A- Partial Seizures (Focal Seizures): This is the commonest type and
is subcategorized as :
1-Simple Partial Seizures (Jacksonian epilepsy): The affected woman
does not lose consciousness but may experience confusion, tingling,
or odd mental and emotional events. Such events may include mild
hallucinations, or extreme responses to smell and taste.
After the seizure, the patient usually has temporary weakness in
certain muscles.
4. Classification Of Epilepsy
2- Complex Partial Seizures (>50% in adults):
They can result in loss of judgment, involuntary uncontrolled
behavior & loss of consciousness. Prior to the actual seizure, some
people may experience a warning aura, which can be an odd odor, a
feeling of warmth, or a visual or auditory hallucination. They then
may lose consciousness briefly and appear to others as motionless
with a vacant stare. After a few seconds, some may begin to perform
repetitive movements, such as chewing or smacking of lips.
Episodes usually last no more than two minutes.
Ocassionally a simple or complex partial seizures evolve into
secondarily generalized seizures. The progress may be so rapid that
the partial stage is not even noticed.
5. Classification Of Epilepsy
B- Generalized Seizures
They occur in more diffuse areas of the brain and they have more serious effect
on the patient. They are further subcategorized as follows:
1-Tonic-Clonic (Grand Mal) Seizures:
a-The tonic phase: muscles suddenly contract, causing the patient to fall and lie
rigidly for about 10 to 30 seconds. Some people experience aura; most, lose
consciousness without warning. If the throat or larynx is affected, stridor occurs
when the patient inhales.
b-The clonic phase: Seizure is said to enter this phase when the muscles begin to
alternate between relaxation and rigidity. After this phase, the patient may lose
bowel or urinary control.
The seizure usually lasts a total of two to three minutes, after which the patient
remains unconscious for a while and then awakens to confusion and extreme
fatigue.
6. Classification Of Epilepsy
2- Absence (Petit Mal) Seizures: Petit mal or absence
seizures are brief (three to 30 seconds) losses of
consciousness and may consist of only a short cessation
of physical movement and loss of attention. Such
seizures may pass unnoticed by others. About 25% of
patients with petit mal develop grand mal seizures
7. Classification Of Epilepsy
C- Other Seizures:
1- Atonic (Akinetic) Seizures. A person who has an atonic (or akinetic)
seizure loses muscle tone. Sometimes it may affect only one part of
the body so that, for instance, the jaw slackens and the head drops.
At other times, the whole body may lose muscle tone, and the
person can suddenly fall.
2- Simply Tonic or Clonic Seizures. Seizures can also be simply tonic or
clonic. In tonic seizures, the muscles contract and consciousness is
altered for about 10 seconds, but the seizures do not progress to the
clonic phase. Clonic seizures, which are very rare, occur primarily in
young children, who experience spasms of the muscles but not their
tonic rigidity.
3- Myoclonic. Myoclonic seizures are a series of brief jerky contractions
of specific muscle groups, such as the face or trunk.
8. Classification Of Epilepsy
4-Gestational epilepsy: Some patients experience their first seizures
during pregnancy. This can be a result of true gestational epilepsy, a
rare syndrome of seizures occurring only during pregnancy. Patients
with this syndrome have a variable presentation with single or
multiple seizures in one or more of their pregnancies. It can also be a
manifestation of epilepsy that may extend beyond the pregnancy.
The workup of these patients should involve a neurologic
examination, consultation with a neurologist, CBC count, chemistry
panel (particularly for electrolytes), head MRI versus CT scan, and
EEG. The differential diagnosis should include eclampsia and any
possible etiology considered in the nonpregnant patient, including
stroke, electrolyte abnormalities, tumor, trauma, drugs/withdrawal,
and epilepsy
9. Effects Of Pregnancy On Epilepsy
Unpredictable
1-Seizure frequency may increase: due to:
-Enhanced metabolism & increased drug clearance associated with
pregnancy can result in decreased serum drug concentration.
-Increased volume of distribution of the AED.
-Increased serum binding proteins.
-Decreased or non-compliance with medication.
-Sleep deprivation, hormonal changes of pregnancy (high E), and
associated psychological and emotional stress of pregnancy: all increase
threshold for seizures.
-Nausea and vomiting.
10. Effects Of Pregnancy On Epilepsy
(Cont.)
2-Seizure frequency may decrease:
Due to improved compliance with drug regimen in some patients.
3-Seizure frequency may remain unchanged.
11. Effect Of Epilepsy On Pregnancy
Data on 1st
trimester losses, PROM, ante-partum
hemorrhage, operative vaginal delivery and CS are
inconclusive.
Increased incidence of IUGR, cognitive
dysfunction, microcephaly and perinatal
mortality (1.2 - 3 times normal).
Increased incidence of congenital malformations.
12. Effect Of Epilepsy On Lactation
No studies on the effects of AED on either quantity or quality of
breast milk.
Breast feeding should be stopped if obvious sedation develops in an
infant and is likely to relate to the presence of AED in breast milk.
13. Effects Of Epilepsy On Fetus And
Neonate
1-There is increased risk for infants of epileptic mothers to have
epilepsy. The risk of neonatal susceptibility depends on:
Nature of the mother’s seizure disorder.
Genetic factors.
Seizures arises during pregnancy.
Metabolic & toxic consequences of seizures and AEDs.
2-Increase perinatal morbidity.
15. MANAGEMENT
I-Preconceptional Care:
A-Re-assessment: may show that the patient does not have epilepsy or
may reveal a treatable cause before pregnancy (e.g. blood vessel
abnormality in the brain).
B-Counseling: explain to the patient that:
There is a chance of 90% of having normal child.
Increased chance of having epileptic child (2-5%).
Increased pregnancy complications.
Increased unfortunate outcome if seizures arises during pregnancy.
Increased risk of congenital malformations.
16. MANAGEMENT
I-Preconceptional Care:
C-Measurement of the free unbound anti-epileptic drug level in maternal
serum.
D- Preconceptional folate supplementation: 5 mg daily.
E- No trial to stop AED unless the patient is seizure free at least for 2 years.
The AED dose should be tapered till stopped completely at least 6
months prior to any planned pregnancy to provide some reassurance
that seizures are not going to recur.
17. II-ANTENATAL CARE
A-Investigations:
Metabolic: serum glucose, urea, electrolytes, Ca & Mg
EEG
MRI/CT scan of the head.
B-Drugs:
Monotherapy at the lowest effective dose should be employed. If large daily
doses are needed, use frequent smaller doses or extended-release formula to
avoid high peak levels. Monitoring of serum AEDs level is mandatory.
Usually, women don't suspect they are pregnant until their fourth to sixth week of
pregnancy. By that time, if there are any harmful effects from their AEDs, most
of these effects would have already occurred.
18. II-ANTENATAL CARE
C-Selenium supplementation: in a dose of 200 µ/day may be
important to minimize the free radical mediated damage.
D-Folic acid supplements.
E-Morning sickness: If hyperemesis gravidarum, consider giving
alternative route if vomiting is severe or prolonged.
F-Antenatal diagnosis: of congenital malformations (screening should
be done by detailed ultrasound and measurement of alfa fetoprotein
at 18 weeks).
19. II-ANTENATAL CARE (CONT.)
G-Vitamin K:
Oral 20mg daily is prescribed from 36 weeks until
delivery to mothers taking hepatic enzyme-inducing
drugs (phenytoin, phenobarbitone, primidone,
carbamazepine and topiramate - Not necessary with
sodium valproate).
Be aware of the nature of the AED you are using whether
it is a hepatic enzyme inducing or not. Most of the newer
AEDs are not enzyme inducers).
20. III-LABOR AND DELIVERY (CONT.)
“The risk of developing a seizure during labor is 9 times
that during the rest of pregnancy”.
Management of women with epilepsy upon labor and
delivery:
Check levels of AEDs.
Inform all health care providers that the patient has
epilepsy.
Consider seizure prophylaxis with intravenous
benzodiazepines or phenytoin.
21. III-LABOR AND DELIVERY (CONT.)
Manage seizures acutely with intravenous benzodiazepines (1-2 mg
of diazepam), then load phenytoin (1 g loaded over 1 h).
Labor management should be based on routine standards of care.
Start administration of vitamin K1 for the infant, and send the cord
blood for clotting studies.
22. III-LABOR AND DELIVERY (CONT.)
Management of a pregnant patient in status epilepticus:
Establish the ABCs, and check vital signs.
Assess the fetal heart rate.
Rule out eclampsia.
Administer a bolus of lorazepam (0.1 mg/kg, ie, 5-10 mg) at no faster
than 2 mg/min.
23. III-LABOR AND DELIVERY (CONT.)
Load phenytoin (20 mg/kg, ie, 1-2 g) at no faster than 50 mg/min,
with cardiac monitoring.
If this is not successful, load phenobarbital (20 mg/kg, ie, 1-2 g) at no
faster than 100 mg/min.
Check laboratory findings, including electrolytes, AED levels,
glucose, and toxicology screen.
If fetal testing results are nonreassuring, move to emergent delivery.
24. III-LABOR AND DELIVERY
The majority of women who have epilepsy have a safe vaginal
delivery without seizure occurrence; provided, the AED is taken
before and throughout labor.
Generalized tonic clonic Seizures GTCSs needs aggressive
interference because of the high risk for the mother and fetus,
especially if they progress to status epilepticus. Oxygen should be
administered to the patient and she should be placed on her left side
to increase uterine blood flow and decrease the risk for maternal
aspiration.
25. III-LABOR AND DELIVERY (CONT.)
Emergency C.S. should be performed when repeated GTCSs cannot be
controlled during labor or when the mother is unable to cooperate.
Any lady having a seizure during labour must be observed closely for the
next 72 hours.
Obstetric analgesia may be used to allow for rest before delivery. Pethidine
should never be used because it is metabolised to norpethidine, which is
epileptogenic. Diamorphine is an option. Few cases of postpartum seizures
were reported following epidural analgesia.
26. III-LABOR AND DELIVERY (CONT.)
During labor, oral absorption of AEDs may be inappropriate and any
vomiting might complicate the situation. PB, PHT, and VPA can be
given IV at the same maintenance dosage. Convulsive seizures and
repeated seizures during labor should be treated promptly with
parenteral lorazepam or diazepam.
Benzodiazepines, in large doses, can cause neonatal cardiac and
respiratory depression; therefore, close monitoring for these
neonates is mandatory.
27. AAN 2009: New Guidelines Released on
Pregnancy with Epilepsy
Upto Date 2011
The management of epilepsy in pregnancy
BJOG: An International Journal of
Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Volume 116, Issue 6, pages 758–767, May
2009