ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ANTICONVULSANT THERAPY IN PREGNANT WOMEN WITH EPILEPSY

Abstract

96 pregnant women with epilepsy aged 17 years to 41 years have been studied. Partial forms of epilepsy have been determined in 65 women (68%), generalized forms - in 31 (32%). In 11 (11%) women seizures first appeared during this pregnancy. The seizure frequency increased in 23 (27%), decreased in 21 (25%), remained unchanged in 14 (16%), 27 (32%) of women were seizure-free during pregnancy (10 of them were seizure-free during one year before pregnancy). 68 (71%) pregnant women received antiepileptic drugs (AED), 22 (23%) - did not received, 6 (6%) stopped taking AEDs from 7-9 weeks of pregnancy. Monotherapy received 63 (93%), polytherapy 5 (7%) of pregnant women. In monotherapy the seizure frequency increased in 18 (30.5%), decreased in 10 (16.95%), remained unchanged in 10 (16.95%), 21 (35.6%) pregnant women remained seizure-free. In polytherapy seizure frequency increased in 2 women, decreased in 2, remained unchanged in 1. We have identified the inadequate prescribing of the carbamazepine (CBZ) in Juvenile Absence Epilepsy in 1 pregnant and recommended to replace CBZ by other AED after delivery; correction of therapy in 9 women was conducted before (in 2) and during (in7) pregnancy. As result of our correction of the therapy seizure frequency decreased in 5, remained unchanged in 1 pregnant women, 3 women were seizure-free. In general, as result of dynamic monitoring of pregnant women and appropriate choice of AED and its dose the significant control of seizures (seizure frequency decreased in 25%, seizure-free women - 32%) has been achieved in majority of surveyed pregnant women with epilepsy.