The Risks of Pregnancy

By Author Stacey Chillemi freelance writerMany women that I spoke to who have epilepsy are worried that there may be a risk to them if they become pregnant. I have also read many articles with women stating the same concerns. Women with epilepsy who become pregnant have a higher risk for complications rather than women who don't have epilepsy. Some of the complications include the chance that you may have more seizures during your pregnancy. Having more seizures can cause you to become sleepy, fall and there is the possibility that you can have a serious injury. But then I look at it like this; when you have a seizure usually one of the most common after affects is that you become sleepy, anytime you have seizures there always is the chance of injury. Let's not forget when I had my three pregnancies each pregnancy the amount of seizures I had decreased. When you are pregnant, your body processes your anti-seizure medicines differently. This can lead to medicine levels that are too high (which can cause side effects) or too low (which can mean more seizures). Usually when you gain weight during your pregnancy; your blood levels will become lower. Your neurologist will probably have to higher your dosage so you don??t have any unnecessary seizures. Most women with epilepsy do not see any change in the amount of seizures they have during their pregnancy. Pregnant women who see an increase in their seizures, it is generally associated with not taking anti-seizure medication as the doctor prescribes. Epilepsy may also occur for the first time in pregnancy. Some women have better controlled seizures during pregnancy and this can be due to many reasons. It is important that you control your seizures as best as possible during pregnancy because it is safer for the baby and the mother, which is why doctors, strongly advise you to not stop taking your anti-seizure medication. The fetus is very well protected, so it is unlikely that a seizure will harm the baby. Tonic-clonic seizures create a risk as they may, in rare circumstances, cause miscarriage or injury to the baby. It is important that you take care of yourself during pregnancy and do your best to avoid any possible injuries because not only is there a chance that the baby can get hurt, but you have to take care of yourself and for your own well being too. Each woman who has epilepsy will react differently, so your doctor will talk to you about the risks and monitor you and your baby closely. It can be useful for the medical team assisting the birth to be aware of all your important medical information relating to your epilepsy disorder, such as medication and seizure types. Only 1-2 percent of women with uncontrolled epilepsy will have a tonic-clonic seizure in labor and a 1-2 percent will have one in the next 24 hours. In the event of a seizure during labor, drugs can be used to control it. Pregnant women with epilepsy who would like to have a home birth may need to consider the effect of having a seizure during labor, which may lead to complications. Water births may also need consideration if consciousness is impaired during seizures. A water births can be performed at home or at birthing centers. It can give the baby a relaxing switch from the womb to his new life with the one's he loves and love him. Tubs are heated to temperatures of 90 to 101 degrees. Hotter water can overheat the mother and baby and cause dehydration. "The warm water relaxes the mother's back and pelvic muscles and takes the bodyweight of the baby off the back and hips. Relaxation combined with the buoyancy of water helps the baby come down. Caesarean sections are not regularly performed but may be necessary for any woman if this is in the best interests of the mother and baby. Other potential obstetrical problems seen more frequently in women with epilepsy are hyperemesis, gravidarum, vaginal bleeding, and anemia. Difficulties during labor and delivery include premature labor, failure to progress, and an increased rate of cesarean sections. Approximately 1,000,000 women of childbearing age in the United States suffer from epilepsy. Complications arise during conception and pregnancy that involve the choice and use of medication, when to take the seizure medicine, and controlling your seizures. These complications have social as well as medical ramifications for pregnant women and their families. During pregnancy, factors such as medications for seizure control, hormonal changes, and vitamin deficiency can have some bearing on seizure patterns, even for women who have had excellent seizure control in the past. These complications combined with genetic factors also lead to a greater risk for major and minor birth defects for babies born to epileptic mothers. Although this risk is not normally important enough for neurologists and epileptologists (epilepsy specialists) to advise their patients against pregnancy, health care specialists support a careful and cautious pregnancy for all future mothers who suffer, or have suffered, from epilepsy. For most women who have epilepsy, the number of seizures remains unchanged during pregnancy. However, about 20 percent will experience an increase in seizures during pregnancy. And some women experience seizures only during birth. The physiological changes that may play a role in the increased incidence of seizures for some women include changes in hormone production, metabolism, stress, and alteration in sleeping patterns. Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone increase naturally and steadily during normal pregnancy. Estrogen has been shown to be epileptogenic (increases seizure activity) for epileptics, while progesterone is thought to have an anti-seizure effect. Fluctuations in the levels of these hormones can make it more difficult for epileptic mothers to predict and control their seizures. Generally, sleep deprivation influences seizure frequency for those who suffer from epilepsy. A significant increase in seizure occurrence may result during pregnancy when sleep patterns change. Stress, and the associated changes in eating and sleeping habits, may also contribute to an increase in seizures in some cases. As mentioned earlier, antiepileptic drugs such as: - Phenobarbital - Depakene - Tegretol These AED's are used to treat epilepsy. In most cases, despite adherence to the proper dosage the level of antiepileptic drugs in the blood decreases during pregnancy. For many women, this does not translate into an increased seizure frequency. However, in most cases, where seizures are seen to increase, the levels of anti-seizure medicine drug in the blood are found to be lower than the recommended therapeutic range. It is therefore very important to monitor levels closely during pregnancy and to listen to your neurologist's prescribed treatment. Epilepsy and Pregnancyhttp://www.demosmedpub.com/getpage.cfm?filename=book179.html&userid=64064795