title: Seizure occurrence, pregnancy outcome among women with active convulsive epilepsy: one year prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of active convulsive epilepsy, seizure frequency and the outcome of pregnancy amongst a cohort of pregnant women attending antenatal clinic (ANC) at two tertiary hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational cohort study conducted at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and State Specialist Hospital, Northeast Nigeria. Pregnant women attending antenatal care were screened for previous history of active convulsive epilepsy, and recruited consecutively according to a specified protocol. A standardized questionnaire was administered to record pregnancy history, nature of epilepsy and treatments received. They were followed-up during the course of the pregnancy based on the ANC schedule up to delivery. The outcome of pregnancies was recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 7063 pregnant women were screened, of whom 103 (1.46%) subjects had at least a past history of seizure. Seventy-eight (1.10%) had a past history of seizure(s) from eclampsia and 23 (0.33%) pregnant subjects recruited were identified to have active convulsive epilepsy. The unadjusted prevalence of active convulsive epilepsy in pregnant women was found to be 3.33 per 1000 (95% CI: 2.1-4.8). Subjects who had a history of head injury and encephalitis were more likely to have seizures during pregnancy. (P=0.013 and P=0.041). Those who had recurrent seizures within the last six months before recruitment were more likely to have a negative pregnancy outcome (P=0.043).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study found a prevalence of active epilepsy of 3.33 per 1000 among pregnant women, with about one percent having a past history of seizure from eclampsia.
authors: Department of Medicine, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, PMB 1414 Maiduguri, Borno state, Nigeria. Electronic address: watilamusa@yahoo.com.
authors: Musa Mamman
authors: MM
authors: Watila
authors: Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Maiduguri PMB 1322, Borno State, Nigeria.
authors: Omeiza
authors: O
authors: Beida
authors: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, PMB 1414 Maiduguri, Borno state, Nigeria.
authors: Shiktra
authors: S
authors: Kwari
authors: Department of Statistics, School of Nursing, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, PMB 1414 Maiduguri, Borno state, Nigeria.
authors: Na'awurti Williams
authors: NW
authors: Nyandaiti
authors: Department of Medicine, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, PMB 1414 Maiduguri, Borno state, Nigeria.
authors: Yakub Wilberforce
authors: YW
authors: Nyandaiti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants
keywords: Epilepsy; Outcome; Pregnancy; Seizure; Women