Belgian consensus on recommendations for standards of care for women with epilepsy before, during and after pregnancy.
Women with epilepsy (WWE) have an increased risk of complications during pregnancy, which however can be minimized by optimal, interdisciplinary patient management. The aim of any therapy is to achieve an optimal balance between avoidance of seizures, which may be harmful to both mother and foetus, and minimization of foetal and neonatal exposure to deleterious influences of antiepileptic drugs. Suitable measures include early and regular counselling of the young WWE about contraception and planning of pregnancy, optimisation of drug treatment (choice of the right drug and dosage also in view of altered pharmacokinetics, avoidance of polytherapy, therapeutic drug monitoring etc.), in-time folate substitution, and close follow-up of the patient during and after pregnancy. Until now, many issues such as underlying factors of malformations have not been clearly elucidated. Nonetheless, chances for an unproblematic pregnancy of WWE are high.
Boon
Paul
P
Department of Neurology, Reference Center for Refractory Epilepsy, Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent, Belgium. Paul.Boon@UGent.be
Hauman
Henri
H
Legros
Benjamin
B
Sadzot
Bernard
B
van Rijckevorsel
Kenou
K
Van Zandycke
Michel
M
D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001530:Belgium; D032921:Consensus; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors
D000927:Anticonvulsants