Neurological disorders in pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
Neurological disorders are common in women of childbearing age and can lead to maternal death, as evident from previous reports of the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths in England and Wales. In the last report (1997-1999) alone, there were 34 deaths indirectly caused by neurological disorders.


RESULTS
With the new developments in drugs, investigations and research, clinicians are now more able than ever before to diagnose and treat some disorders. A recent example is the French Study Group on Stroke in Pregnancy.


CONCLUSIONS
This paper reviews the current concepts and outlines appropriate management of conditions such as epilepsy, headache, benign intracranial hypertension, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, Bell's palsy and cerebrovascular disorders.
Shehata
Hassan A
HA
Epsom & St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, Surrey, UK. hshehata@sthelier.sghms.ac.uk
Okosun
Henry
H
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects; D020330:Bell Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011559:Pseudotumor Cerebri / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy
D000927:Anticonvulsants