[Epilepsy and pregnancy. Prospective study of 100 cases]

Abstract

The association between epilepsy and pregnancy trace a problem for possible complications for the mother and the foetus by toxicity of antiepileptic drugs (AED) on the epilepsy itself. A group of 100 pregnant epileptic women were prospectively studied (clinically and by measurement of serum levels (SL) of AED. Mothers participating lived in the Valley of Mexico, 61 patients received monotherapy and 18 received no drugs. The most commonly used were phenytoin (41), carbamazepine (35) and valproate. The SL of AED were into or under the range recommended for seizures control, only 10 patients have increased their seizures (sleepless and AED medication were common causes). Obstetric complications in our patients do not differ from healthy pregnant women. The 50% of deliveries were resolved by cesarean section (only by neurologic recommendation). No major malformations were observed and the 12% showed minor dysmorphic features. This work show the Obstetric and Neurologic follow-up of 100 mexican women with epilepsy during pregnancy, treated in a third level attention hospital, their complications, pharmacologic recommendations and risk of teratogenicity.