Pregnancy, teratogenesis, and epilepsy

Abstract

Women with epilepsy who are of childbearing age need to understand what the risks of pregnancy are. These women have a 33% risk of increased seizures, a twofold increase in risk of hemorrhage, eclampsia, premature labor, and an increased need for cesarean sections. Babies born to women with epilepsy face a higher risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, prematurity, developmental delay, and major malformations. Seizure control should be obtained without clinical toxicity. Monotherapy reduces the risk of adverse outcomes.