Epilepsie et grossesse: Necessite d'une prise en charge combinee.

ABSTRACT

Pregnant women with epilepsy are at risk for a variety of complications, that require an interdisciplinary cooperation between neurologists, pediatricians and obstericians. We report a retrospective study of 50 pregnant women with epilepsy over a 5 year period. Phenobarbital is largely the most used [74%]. During pregnancy, an increase in seizure frequency was noticed in 27 cases [54%]. Baribituric were essentially maintained in 74% of cases. We have reported a relatively high intervention rate during the delivery. Forty eight babies [96%] were born at term. There were no cases of neonatal haemorrhage or perinatal death. Symptoms of drug impregnation were found in 7 cases [14%]. Four children born to epileptic mothers treated during pregnancy had congenital malformations. Pregnancy doesn't have a catastrophic effect on the course of epilepsiy apart from the risk of an increase in the frequency of the fits. This risk must be reduced thanks to an optimal use of an anti-convulsive therapy before and during pregnancy. The major risk being foetal, mainly foetal malformations and hemorrhages