Seizures & Pregnant

[love_trase]

Was just wondering....I am 35....I was diognosed with complex partial seizures about 5 years ago...recently went back to the Dr. because my seizures had seemed to have worsend...I was then diognosed with Generalized Copmlex seizures....is that the same as Grand Molls? and I am now 8wks pregnant can this affect the baby and if so how? I am not on any meds at this moment in time....Thx for any help or advice given!

[love_trase]

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and it did help very much sometimes I think getting help from your peers is more help than from the Dr. because they are sooo bussy half the time that really do not take the time to explain BIG words!
I have had 1 seizure so far in this pregnancy I am now 8wks and it is a concern for me because last I saw my seizure doc I was not preg. yet about 3 and a half months ago but I go to see my baby doc. tomarrow and I will make it apoint to consult her about this I have had 4 healthy noncomplicated pregnancys and have lived with these seizures for God knows how long I think since about 95 was when I started having weird things happen but didn't have it diognsed until 01 and they cannot tell me where they came from
but getting diognosed with the secondary generalized was just recently at the last seizure doc appt....I knew they had gotten worse just by the things that were happening they were greatly vizable to otherswhere as b4 they were not. Anyways thank you again for you time and help...I will keep in touch with you!.....Tracey

[DrKalraMD]

Hi, earlier you had partial seizures which mean electric discharge affecting one part of brain only but now they have become generalized i.e. asynchrony or discharge affects both sides of brain. “These seizures are called "secondarily generalized" because they only become generalized (spread to both sides of the brain) after the initial or "primary" event, a partial seizure, has already begun. They happen when a burst of electrical activity in a limited area (the partial seizure) spreads throughout the brain. Sometimes the person does not recall the first part of the seizure. These seizures occur in more than 30% of people with partial epilepsy”.
http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_secondgeneralized

Pregnancies in patients with seizure disorders can be complicated by a variety of maternal and fetal issues. Patients can experience higher rates of seizures because of the lower serum plasma levels of their AEDs (anti epileptic drugs). The fetus is likely to be at increased risk for congenital abnormalities, most notably facial clefts, cardiac anomalies, and neural tube defects. Long-term outcomes show that children of patients with seizure disorders may have lower IQs and higher rates of developmental delay. Syndromes related to several of the AEDs, and to specific abnormalities observed in patients with seizure disorders, are not known to affect rates of chromosomal abnormalities.

Women with epilepsy should be treated during pregnancy by a team of providers, including a perinatologist and a neurologist that can focus on balancing the risks of seizures versus the administration of AEDs. Preconceptual management with tapering to AED monotherapy and folate supplementation is recommended. During pregnancy, AED levels should be monitored closely, and the fetus should be carefully screened for anomalies with serum testing, ultrasound, and, possibly, amniocentesis. Vitamin K supplementation for the patient and then for the newborn at the end of the pregnancy is controversial; the risks and benefits of this aspect of management should be discussed by the entire team of providers caring for the patient. With careful treatment of these patients, more than 90% have an entirely uncomplicated pregnancy.

Taken from website http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic3433.htm

[DrKalraMD]

Hi, earlier you had partial seizures which mean electric discheage affecting one part of brain only but now they have become generalized i.e. asynchrony or discharge affects both sides of brain. “These seizures are called "secondarily generalized" because they only become generalized (spread to both sides of the brain) after the initial or "primary" event, a partial seizure, has already begun. They happen when a burst of electrical activity in a limited area (the partial seizure) spreads throughout the brain. Sometimes the person does not recall the first part of the seizure. These seizures occur in more than 30% of people with partial epilepsy”.

http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_secondgeneralized

Pregnancies in patients with seizure disorders can be complicated by a variety of maternal and fetal issues. Patients can experience higher rates of seizures because of the lower serum plasma levels of their AEDs. The fetus is likely to be at increased risk for congenital abnormalities, most notably facial clefts, cardiac anomalies, and neural tube defects. Long-term outcomes show that children of patients with seizure disorders may have lower IQs and higher rates of developmental delay. Syndromes related to several of the AEDs, and to specific abnormalities observed in patients with seizure disorders, are not known to affect rates of chromosomal abnormalities.

Women with epilepsy should be treated during pregnancy by a team of providers, including a perinatologist and a neurologist, that can focus on balancing the risks of seizures versus the administration of AEDs. Preconceptual management with tapering to AED monotherapy and folate supplementation are recommended. During pregnancy, AED levels should be monitored closely, and the fetus should be carefully screened for anomalies with serum testing, ultrasound, and, possibly, amniocentesis. Vitamin K supplementation for the patient and then for the newborn at the end of the pregnancy is controversial; the risks and benefits of this aspect of management should be discussed by the entire team of providers caring for the patient. With careful treatment of these patients, more than 90% have an entirely uncomplicated pregnancy.

Taken from website http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic3433.htm