title: The antepartum patient. Sudden changes in central nervous system status and sensorium.
abstract: An approach to the pregnant patient with altered consciousness is presented. The unconscious pregnant patient often represents a straightforward simple problem if the event is a minor syncope secondary to physiologic changes of pregnancy. Most loss of consciousness is postictal in nature after either an epileptic or eclamptic seizure. If these are ruled out, other more serious causes must be considered, and the patient must be fully evaluated by appropriate neurologic consultants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, USA.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Work
mesh_terms: D003244:Consciousness Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004461:Eclampsia / Q000150:complications; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*