Symptoms of Epilepsy during Pregnancy

The symptoms of epilepsy during pregnancy are almost similar to common epilepsy signs. However, the frequency of epileptic episodes may change. Owing to the change in frequency of epileptic episodes, regular administration of epilepsy is required during pregnancy. Epilepsy during pregnancy risks you and your baby if there is a seizure. Considered a concern earlier, pregnant woman with epilepsy are not discouraged to have childbirth nowadays.

Epilepsy and Seizure Symptoms during Pregnancy

• The signs of every epileptic display varies according to the type of epilepsy expectant woman has.
• If she suffers from partial seizures, it may lead to losing consciousness. For example, she smells or hears thing that don't even exist or feel a sudden emotion such as happiness or fear. A partial seizure during pregnancy may make body twitch or shake, or make limbs stiff.
• Seizure symptoms during pregnancy include staring absently for a period of 5 to 20 seconds. Tonic-clonic, one of the severest types of seizure, may cause body to become stiff and woman losing consciousness. It lasts for about 2—5 minutes.
• Pregnant woman may develop conditions such as severe nausea, vomiting, anaemia, low red blood cell count and increased vaginal bleeding.
• Among other complications of epilepsy during pregnancy include high blood pressure, placental abruption, preterm separation of the placenta from the uterine wall, premature delivery and low birth weight of newborn during childbirth.

Pregnancy and Epilepsy

• If there is an increase in seizure activity during pregnancy, expectant mothers experience several body changes, especially the way body processes medications due to varying hormonal levels and metabolic changes during pregnancy.
• Similar to the increase of seizure during pregnancy, they may also decrease due to increased level of progesterone, a hormone that increases during pregnancy term.
• Mothers may transfer seizure disorder to their newborns. One such disorder is hemorrhagic disorder, which occurs as a result of anti-seizure medications disrupting vitamin K transport to the placenta. Vitamin K is responsible for synthesising clotting in blood. Hemorrhagic disorder can be prevented by oral dosage of vitamin K during the last trimester of pregnancy term.
• Every woman reacts differently to epilepsy during pregnancy. In most cases, seizures remain the same. The seizures can also decrease for few women. Increase in number of seizures is highly likely in pregnant woman who have poorly administered epilepsy. Health experts recommend getting expert advice before getting pregnant to make sure that seizures are as few as possible.

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