Pregnancy and epilepsy

[Mango401]

Hi, I wondered if there was anyone at all that has gone through a pregnancy having epilepsy but also pre eclampsia? Me and my partner would love to have another child(in the next few years), but I am very nervous about doing so. I had pre eclampsia in my pregnancy with my son, which turned to eclampsia and I had a seizure during labour.

I will speak to my epilepsy nurse, neurologist and midwife team before we even consider as I understand I must triple my medication before hand but I was just wondering if anyone has had any experience with this at all?

Thanks

[AmyBadd]

I recently had a baby and I have epilepsy. I knew it was risky because the only medication I have tried which works at all for me is sodium valproate (epilim chrono) and this is very high risk when taken in pregnancy.

With my neurologist and epilepsy nurse and also my husband, we worked together over a long period of time to reduce my medication to what we hoped would be a safe level (800mg a day) but I had two seizures while I was pregnant and I have also had three since (I am now on 1400mg a day and still mostly breastfeeding).

I did not have preeclampsia, but I had a cousin who died of eclampsia about 18 years ago, so this was also a scary thought for me. Basically there is no right or or wrong answer, you just have to be as sensible as you can and do everything in discussion with your loved ones and medical professionals.

I would love to have another child, but I am scared I would not be able to manage two young ones. At the moment I am just enjoying my gorgeous 5 month old son and everything he brings to my life.

Good luck,

Amy

[Epileptic_mom]

Hi I'm 24 from South Africa.

I am currently 19 weeks pregnant with my second child and have been living with Aggressive Grand-Mal epilepsy since I was 11. I have to confess, I don't know what "pre eclampsia" is. Whatever it is, I did not receive it during my first or second pregnancy.

My neurologist as well as my midwife told me at the start of my first pregnancy that I was never going to live through a normal labour and if I do, the baby will be stillborn. I had a c-section instead to prevent seizures, miscarriage and stillborn.

I was not given anything special but the I had to go for scans more often than is needed to monitor the baby. I had to go for an emergency scan last night as I had a seizure and fell hard onto the wooden floor beside my computer desk.

Ps. I didn't plan to have children either times I got pregnant.

Love Madelaine