Status epilepticus during pregnancy. A case report.
BACKGROUND
Status epilepticus is a rare but potentially life threatening complication that women with epilepsy may experience during pregnancy. Poor compliance may contribute to the occurrence of status epilepticus, resulting in the need for substantial increases in anticonvulsant dosing to suppress seizures.


METHODS
A 39-year-old woman, gravida 2, para 0, abortion 1, with a history of epilepsy since childhood, delivered twins following an episode of myoclonic status epilepticus. The infants tolerated the maternal seizures and the aggressive anticonvulsant therapy without residual problems.


CONCLUSIONS
Status epilepticus seems more likely to occur in women with epilepsy during the third trimester. Fourteen of 19, or 74%, of cases reviewed, including the case we report on here, experienced status epilepticus in the third trimester or during labor.
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004831:Epilepsies, Myoclonic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D012307:Risk Factors; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D016312:Treatment Refusal; D014427:Twins; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use