ABSTRACT

This study aims to investigate the effects of epilepsy and its treatment on maternal and fetal outcomes during pregnancy. Methods: This study was designed as a retrospective observational case-control study. One hundred sixty-nine pregnant women (PW) and their newborns were included. The study group consisted of PW with epilepsy (PWWE)(mean age: 27.6 years; n=89), and the control group comprised PW without epilepsy (mean age: 27.5 years; n=80).

In the PWWE, unintended pregnancy was found to be higher (p<0.001). Pregnancy complications and cesarean incidence were higher in the PWWE than in the control group. Time of birth was significantly earlier in the PWWE (p<0.01). No significant difference was found between the groups concerning birth weight, height, sex of infants, and the incidence of birth complications. In the postpartum sixth week visit, all mothers in the control group were nursing their infants, whereas 11.4% of the PWWE were not nursing their infants (n=10) (p<0.05). During the study, two mothers, and one baby with severe malformation died. The prevalence of major congenital malformations (MCMs) was found as 0% in the drug-free group, 5.7% in the mono therapy group, and 8.3% in the polytherapy group, respectively.

Although the majority of the mothers with epilepsy have a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby, we found that the mortality rate and risk of experiencing serious problems in the perinatal and postnatal period were higher compared with the controls. Neonatal disorders and congenital malformations were more common in these infants. It is important that these patients should be followed up closely during the pre-conception, pregnancy, and postpartum periods, and infants should be followed up in tertiary neonatal intensive care units when necessary,

Keywords: Antiepileptic drugs, epilepsy, malformation, newborn, pregnancy