A maternal complex partial seizure in labor can affect fetal heart rate.
We describe a 33-year-old woman who had a complex partial seizure during labor. Intrauterine pressure catheter and fetal heart monitoring during the seizure revealed a strong, prolonged uterine contraction and simultaneous significant fetal heart rate deceleration for 3.5 minutes. This patient demonstrates that complex partial seizures may result in uterine hyperactivity during labor, which may result in fetal hypoxia.
Nei
M
M
Jefferson Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Daly
S
S
Liporace
J
J
D000328:Adult; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011312:Pressure; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications*; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D018590:Uterine Monitoring