Chapter 13 - Neurological complications of pregnancy

Summary

Neurological complications of pregnancy are often encountered in the hospital setting and require prompt attention, since some are potentially life-threatening to the mother and the fetus. Common disorders encountered in pregnant females that require hospitalization include worsening seizure disorders, preeclampsia/eclampsia, headaches and mononeuropathies. Worsening seizure control in early pregnancy is most frequently due to decline in levels of the patient's antiepileptic medications. The two most severe pregnancy-related etiologies for headaches that must be considered are preeclampsia and sagittal sinus thrombosis. The rise in occurrence of postpartum mononeuropathies has been attributed to greater use of epidural analgesia, increased length of second stage of labor, and increasing proportion of patients with elevated body mass index. Bell's palsy occurs more frequently during pregnancy compared to a non-pregnant reference group. Neurological complications are typically managed best by collaboration between obstetrician and neurologist.