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Epilepsy, pregnancy and giving birth
Mon, 01/21/2008 - 10:14Good 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 Kimberly Costa on Tue, 2009-08-25 - 15:20
Re: Epilepsy, pregnancy and giving birth
Submitted by christa4605 on Wed, 2008-09-17 - 14:26
I have had Epilepsy for 8 years, and I had my daughter when I was 18. I was on Keppra, Lamictal and Depakote. I had no problems AT ALL during the pregnancy, however, the evening I went into labor, everything was going fine. I went through 6 1/2 hours of active labor with no epidural. I finally asked for it when I was dialated to 8 1/2cm. What I remember, was pushing 3 times and then they said she began to crown when I had a grand mal seizure. They used the vaccum to get her out since I could no longer push. She was perfectly fine and after about 10hrs of sleeping I was fine as well.
At this point, I am 8 months pregnant with my second and only on Keppra and Lamictal. I've had PLENTY of seizures this time around, but my doctors and I have decided to induce with a C-section making my son 2 weeks early.
Regardless of whether you know what triggers your seizures, you can NEVER be too safe as certain stresses on your body may be too much to handle.
As much as I do want to do a c-section, I worry that a seizure could be too much on this baby if I were to have one during labor.
Hope this helps, and good luck!
I have had Epilepsy for 8 years, and I had my daughter when I was 18. I was on Keppra, Lamictal and Depakote. I had no problems AT ALL during the pregnancy, however, the evening I went into labor, everything was going fine. I went through 6 1/2 hours of active labor with no epidural. I finally asked for it when I was dialated to 8 1/2cm. What I remember, was pushing 3 times and then they said she began to crown when I had a grand mal seizure. They used the vaccum to get her out since I could no longer push. She was perfectly fine and after about 10hrs of sleeping I was fine as well.
At this point, I am 8 months pregnant with my second and only on Keppra and Lamictal. I've had PLENTY of seizures this time around, but my doctors and I have decided to induce with a C-section making my son 2 weeks early.
Regardless of whether you know what triggers your seizures, you can NEVER be too safe as certain stresses on your body may be too much to handle.
As much as I do want to do a c-section, I worry that a seizure could be too much on this baby if I were to have one during labor.
Hope this helps, and good luck!
Re: Epilepsy, pregnancy and giving birth
Submitted by melissaar78 on Fri, 2008-08-15 - 15:12
Hi there, new to the site. I have had two children , both while on Tegretol XR and had no problems. I was diagnosed at 18 and was very worried while pregnant. I was on a high dose of folic acid, and considered a high risk pregnancy because of my epilepsy. I nursed both of my boys for two years each and both are very healthy and advanced. My triggers are sleep deprivation and stress, which i thought would make being pregnant impossible, but was lucky to never have any problems. My second labor was very stressful, and i was able to make it thru without any seizure activity. It seems the biggest stress in my life never causes the problems, just the little irritating every day stress!! Who knows, but good luck on your pregnancy!