Pregnant women with epilepsy are at an increased risk of death and many adverse outcomes during their delivery hospitalization. Researchers examined hospitalization records from 2007 to 2011 including 69,385 women with epilepsy and 20,449,532 women without epilepsy. Risk of death during delivery hospitalization was significantly higher for women with epilepsy compared to women without epilepsy (80/100,000 vs 6/100,000). Women with epilepsy were also at a heighted risk for preeclampsia, preterm labor, stillbirth, cesarean delivery, and prolonged hospital stay.
MacDonald SC, Bateman BT, McElrath TF, Hernández-Díaz S. Mortality and morbidity during delivery hospitalization among pregnant women with epilepsy in the United States [published online ahead of print July 6, 2015]. Jama Neurol. 2015; doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2015.1017.
