Cerebral cavernous malformations and pregnancy:  hemorrhage risk and influence on obstetrical management.
BACKGROUND
Cerebral cavernous malformations are brain vascular malformations associated with intracranial hemorrhage. It is unclear whether pregnancy is a risk factor for hemorrhage, yet there is speculation that it may be.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the risk of clinically significant hemorrhage during pregnancy and nonpregnancy.


METHODS
A total of 186 patients from the University of Toronto Vascular Malformations Study Group were enrolled. The obstetrical history of each patient was collected and matched to their neurological history from the records of the study group. All hemorrhagic events occurring during childbearing years were associated with either a defined pregnancy risk period or nonpregnancy period. Patients were also asked to recall advice that they received from health care professionals regarding risk of hemorrhage in pregnancy.


RESULTS
Among our patient population there were 349 pregnancies (283 live births) and 49 hemorrhages during childbearing years, 3 of which were during pregnancy but none during delivery or within 6 weeks post partum. The hemorrhage rate for pregnant women was 1.15% (95% confidence interval: 0.23-3.35) per person-year and 1.01% (95% confidence interval: 0.75-1.36) per person-year for nonpregnant women. Relative risk of pregnancy was 1.13 (95% confidence interval: 0.34-3.75) (P = .84). Neurosurgeons and obstetricians were the source of most hemorrhage risk advice. The majority of neurosurgeons suggested that the risk was unchanged, but the obstetricians were divided. Four patients never conceived, and 2 others began contraception because of the advice that they received.


CONCLUSIONS
The risk of intracranial hemorrhage from cerebral cavernous malformations is likely not changed during pregnancy, delivery, or post partum.
School of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Christopher D
CD
Witiw
Amal
A
Abou-Hamden
Abhaya V
AV
Kulkarni
Joseph A
JA
Silvaggio
Carol
C
Schneider
M Christopher
MC
Wallace
D000328:Adult; D001164:Arteriovenous Fistula / Q000150:complications*; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000150:complications*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D012307:Risk Factors