Pregnant Epileptic Women Have Higher Risk Of Mortality During Delivery

A new study shows the increased risk of death that epileptic women have during delivery.

According to US News and World Report, the study by researchers from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health found that the risk of death during delivery is 80 for every 100,000 women with epilepsy compared to six in 100,000 for women without epilepsy. The risk was calculated using data obtained from US medical records between 2007 and 2011.

Of the 4.2 million deliveries, 14,100 involved epileptic women. The study also found that epileptic women were more likely to give birth through c-section, experience preeclampsia, preterm labor and stillbirth. Though the relative risk is higher, experts said the study should not scare women with epilepsy as most women with the disorder are more likely than not to give birth to healthy babies naturally.

The authors also noted that their study comes with riders as it merely measures risk during delivery and not pregnancy.

"Regardless of the specific cause, the point that women recorded as having epilepsy have an increased risk of mortality remains a clinically relevant message suggesting that increased attention should be paid. Future research is needed to determine the specific causes of mortality and how interventions might improve outcomes," the authors wrote in the journal in JAMA Neurology.