Objective: Our purpose was to study pregnancies and birth outcomes in a population of women treated for epilepsy.
Study design: A retrospective uncontrolled study of 75 pregnancies in 55 epileptic women under treatment was conducted in the nursery of CHU Angers. The course of pregnancies and deliveries, the frequency of congenital malformations and the clinical state of the neonates during the first 6 days of life were recorded.
Results: There was a high rate of prematurity (15%) especially in patients treated by phenobarbital, a 10.5% rate of intra-utero growth retardation, a 11% rate of major congenital malformations and a 9% rate of isolated minor congenital malformations. Congenital malformations were mainly facial dysmorphia, cardiopahties, urogenital tract abnormalities. The neonatal symptomatology was associated with a high level of antiepileptic drugs in neonates or to a withdrawal syndrome or to hypovitaminosis.
Conclusion: Overall results justify implementing prevention and detection measures.