title: Diagnosis of Acute Neurologic Emergencies in Pregnant and Postpartum Women.
abstract: Acute neurologic symptoms in pregnant and postpartum women may be caused by exacerbation of a preexisting neurologic condition, the initial presentation of a non-pregnancy-related problem, or a new neurologic problem. Pregnant and postpartum patients with headache and neurologic symptoms are often diagnosed with preeclampsia or eclampsia; however, other etiologies must also be considered. A team approach with close communication between emergency physicians, neurologists, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, and radiologists is the key to obtaining best outcomes. This article reviews the clinical features and differential diagnosis of acute serious neurologic conditions in pregnancy and the puerperium, focusing on diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mother Infant Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington Street, Box 394, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Edlow
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurocritical Care and Emergency Neurology, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 175 Cambridge Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Brian L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Edlow
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, One Deaconess Place, West Clinical Center, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02215, USA. Electronic address: jedlow@bidmc.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Edlow
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D012851:Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis
keywords: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis; Eclampsia; Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome; Pregnancy; Reversible cerebrovascular constriction syndrome