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Case Reports
. 2022 Dec 23:12:33.
doi: 10.5334/tohm.734. eCollection 2022.

A Case of New Onset Cervical Dystonia in Pregnancy

Eoghan Donlon  1   2 , Pat Moloney  2 , Darragh Frier  2 , Robert McFarlane  1 , Shane Smyth  2 , Fiona Molloy  1 , Richard Walsh  2   3 , Tim Lynch  1 , Eavan McGovern  1   4
Affiliations
Case Reports

A Case of New Onset Cervical Dystonia in Pregnancy

Eoghan Donlon et al. Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov (N Y). .

Abstract

Background: Though uncommon, primary movement disorders can occur in pregnancy, the most common being restless legs syndrome and chorea gravidarum [1]. New onset dystonia in pregnancy has been reported four times previously with a resolution of symptoms within six months of delivery [2345]. Exacerbation of pre-existing movement disorders and the onset of de novo movement disorders during pregnancy support the hypothesis that female sex hormones play an important role in the regulation of basal ganglia circuitry.

Case report: Here we describe a case of new-onset cervical dystonia during pregnancy with persistence of symptoms after delivery.

Discussion: The phenotypic overlap between this case and previously reported cases further establishes dystonia gravidarum as a distinct clinical entity.

Keywords: Dystonia; Dystonia gravidarum; botulinum toxin; pregnancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no competing interests to declare.

References

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