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[Pregnancy and epilepsy. Retrospective analysis of 118 patients]

J Rück¹, J Bauer

¹Klinik für Epileptologie, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, Bonn, Germany.

|April 5, 2008

Abstract

Background:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the treatment of women with epilepsy investigated prior to or during pregnancy.

Patients:

One hundred eighteen women (median age 28.9 years) with idiopathic (n=43), cryptogenic (n=41), or symptomatic (n=29) epilepsy and appearing for special pregnancy planning advice at a German epileptology clinic were evaluated. All patients were investigated between 2002 and 2007.

Findings:

Of the study patients, 69 were seen prior to pregnancy, 41 (59.4%) were on monotherapy with antiepileptic drugs (AED), and 22 (31.9%) were already on folic acid supplementation. A change in AED medication was recommended in 50 (72.5%). Ninety-three of the patients were seen during pregnancy, most often during the first trimenon (n=44). Fifty-one (55%) were on AED monotherapy, most often with lamotrigine (n=24) or valproate (n=13). During pregnancy, seizure frequency increased in 33 women (35.5%) and decreased in 14 (15%).

Conclusion:

Monotherapy with AED should be established if possible, and folic acid supplementation should be started prior to pregnancy.

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