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Epilepsy, pregnancy and giving birth

Mon, 01/21/2008 - 10:14

Good morning,

I am very curious to hear the experience of women while they were pregnant, and during labor & birth of a child. 

How did the pain, stress affect your epilepsy, and was it easy to manage seazures? I am trying to figure out how to deal with the actual birth process, and I am seriously considering a c-cection, where I would like to be under total anesteshia. I would love to go through the natural birth, no epidural or pain med, but I am worried that the pain of labor will give me seizures. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

By the way, I am not taking any meds for epilepsy, as my seizures are only about once a year...and I know the trigger, so I avoid doing things that I know could trigger the seizure.

 

Thank you all so much,

Sonja C.

Comments

Re: Epilepsy, pregnancy and giving birth

Submitted by cmyk311 on Fri, 2009-05-29 - 18:18
What kind of medication(s) did you use during the pregnancy?  I have simple-partial seizures and I want to have children someday but I don't know what medications I should look into that are safe for pregnancies.

Re: Epilepsy, pregnancy and giving birth

Submitted by katfaerie on Sat, 2008-05-31 - 09:43

i was (and still am) 400mg of lamictal during both of my pregnancies. both were delived c-section. and seizure free. i had to have my ovary removed with my daughter's birth so i had general. which i wouldn't recommend. they woke me up before administering pain meds... not sure if that is standard or what, but it was not fun.

when my son was born i had an epidural c-section and it was much easier.

i remained seizure free during both very high stress pregnanies. however i only experienced the beginning of labor, as i had scheduled c-sections...

i also breastfeed both kids for a combined 2 and 1/2 years without incident. i have read elsewhere that some women have had milk supply issues, but not me.

prior to getting pregnant i was living without meds, having only one or two grand mals a year, but my doctor flat out told me that having a seizure puts me and my baby at more risk than that of taking the meds.

so i started taking the meds and have not had a grand mal since february 2003.

life on meds is rough, but it is better than having grand mals even once a year. my chilren have suffered no side effects from their exposure to my meds.

good luck to you all!

kat

i was (and still am) 400mg of lamictal during both of my pregnancies. both were delived c-section. and seizure free. i had to have my ovary removed with my daughter's birth so i had general. which i wouldn't recommend. they woke me up before administering pain meds... not sure if that is standard or what, but it was not fun.

when my son was born i had an epidural c-section and it was much easier.

i remained seizure free during both very high stress pregnanies. however i only experienced the beginning of labor, as i had scheduled c-sections...

i also breastfeed both kids for a combined 2 and 1/2 years without incident. i have read elsewhere that some women have had milk supply issues, but not me.

prior to getting pregnant i was living without meds, having only one or two grand mals a year, but my doctor flat out told me that having a seizure puts me and my baby at more risk than that of taking the meds.

so i started taking the meds and have not had a grand mal since february 2003.

life on meds is rough, but it is better than having grand mals even once a year. my chilren have suffered no side effects from their exposure to my meds.

good luck to you all!

kat

Re: Epilepsy, pregnancy and giving birth

Submitted by cindy.b on Tue, 2008-06-24 - 22:06

I would have loved to have a forum like this 40 years ago with my first. I've had 3 children all adults now and my first 2 pregnancy went well. My last one was going along perfect until my 6th month when I had a seizure and that was because I got pregnet 9 months after my second. Too soon. Did't have any seizures during any of deliveries.  Strong 9lb 13oz baby boy who is now 6'1. What a doll. They are all healthy.

 God bless you

I would have loved to have a forum like this 40 years ago with my first. I've had 3 children all adults now and my first 2 pregnancy went well. My last one was going along perfect until my 6th month when I had a seizure and that was because I got pregnet 9 months after my second. Too soon. Did't have any seizures during any of deliveries.  Strong 9lb 13oz baby boy who is now 6'1. What a doll. They are all healthy.

 God bless you

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