During pregnancy, epileptic seizures may decrease or increase, but they are usually more frequent, especially in the third trimester of pregnancy and close to childbirth.
The increase in seizures is mainly due to normal changes in this phase of life, such as weight gain, hormonal changes and increased metabolism. In addition, the frequency with which the disease attacks can also occur because the pregnant woman suspends the use of medication, for fear of affecting the baby's health.
The presence of epilepsy during pregnancy increases the chances of the following complications:
- Spontaneous abortion; Premature birth; Death of the baby after birth; Developmental delay; Genetic malformations, such as heart, cleft lip and spina bifida problems; Low birth weight; Pre-eclampsia; Vaginal bleeding.
However, it is not yet known whether the increased risk of complications is due to the disease itself or to treatment with the use of anticonvulsant drugs.
When to worry
In general, simple partial seizures, absence seizures, which are those in which the person loses consciousness only for a brief period of time, and myoclonic seizures, characterized by brief muscle contractions similar to electric shocks, do not pose risks to pregnancy. See How to identify and treat the absence crisis.
However, women who have had difficult-to-control crises before or who have generalized tonic-clonic seizures, in which there is loss of consciousness and generalized muscle stiffness, are more likely to cause damage, such as lack of oxygen for the baby and heart palpitations.
How to treat
Treatment is done according to the type and frequency of seizures presented, and in women who have had no seizures for more than 2 years, the doctor can evaluate the suspension of the medication both during pregnancy planning and during the first trimester of pregnancy. gestation.
Among the medications used, Valproate is the most related to higher chances of fetal malformations, and to decrease this effect, it is common that it is prescribed with Carbamazepine.
However, it is important to follow the prescribed treatment, and the use of the medication should not be discontinued without medical advice, even if there has been no seizure or the seizures have increased with the medication.
How is breastfeeding
Women with epilepsy may normally breast-feed the baby, but some medications used to treat the condition can cause irritation and drowsiness in children.
The baby should be breastfed after 1 hour of taking the medication, and it is recommended that breastfeeding be done while the mother is sitting on the floor, in an armchair or lying on the bed to avoid accidents, as seizures can arise during breastfeeding.
To avoid complications, know what to do in the epilepsy crisis.
