One of the primary concerns of many expecting mothers in Texas is health.
Both their own health, as well as that of their unborn child, is almost
always a priority. Pregnant women often take many steps to avoid
pregnancy-related injuries, from driving more safely to avoiding certain sports and recreational
activities. However, for women with existing health conditions, avoiding
danger is often a near-constant task. Moreover, the woman’s doctor
and healthcare team must also be vigilant throughout the pregnancy in
order to safeguard the woman’s health and the baby’s well-being.
For women with epilepsy, pregnancy poses many challenges. Epilepsy is a
neurological disorder; most people recognize it as the cause of seizures
in those who have it. A recent study out of the Harvard T.H. Chan School
of Public Health highlighted some concerns about pregnant women with epilepsy.
The study found that the subjects with epilepsy had a mortality risk that
was ten times higher than the non-epileptic subjects during delivery hospitalization.
In addition, the study found that epileptic pregnant women were also at
a higher risk of other pregnancy complications. These include preterm
labor, stillbirth and preeclampsia. The lead author of the study noted
that pregnant women with epilepsy tend to have a “potentially unappreciated
risk of harm” during delivery admission. The researcher stressed
the importance of choosing a hospital carefully for epileptic women who
anticipate becoming pregnant.
Epileptic women, as well as other women with existing medical issues, may
be at risk of negligent monitoring during their pregnancies. Careful monitoring
is critical in every pregnancy, but especially in those where the mother
or unborn child has an existing illness, disorder or disease.
Source: Medical Daily, “Pregnant women with epilepsy may find increased risk of dying, though dying
during pregnancy remains ‘exceedingly rare,'” Stephanie Castillo, July 7, 2015