Outcomes of Pregnancy in Women with Epilepsy in Ardabil

Abstract

Background: Epilepsy is the second, most common and most dangerous neurological complication that can occur in a pregnant woman. Women with epilepsy (WWE) are at higher risk for miscarriage, prematurity, congenital anomalies and low birth weight (LBW). Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the outcome of pregnancy in women with epilepsy. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 131 pregnant women with epilepsy who referred to Ardabil Alavi Hospital from September 2019 to September 2021. Necessary information such as BMI, type of seizure, congenital malformation, treatment drug and name of used drugs collected through patients file by a checklist and then analyzed by using statistical methods in SPSS version 25. Results: The frequency of neonate term birth was 83.21% and preterm birth was 16.79%. The frequency of babies with LBW was 22.85%. Most of women with 65.96% had cesarean delivery. More than 83% of seizures were generalized and 67.93% used mono-therapy. Only one fetus had malformation (0.76%). The most frequency among the patients receiving mono-therapy was related to the carbamazepine with 26.71% and among the women treated with multitherapy was related to Levetiracetam plus carbamazepine with 12.97%. Conclusion: Pregnancies with epilepsy, even in cases with multidisciplinary care and no other risk factors, are still significantly associated with higher adverse outcomes.

Keywords

• epilepsy
• seizures
• pregnancy
• birth defects
• malformation