This review is based in part on a presentation given by Dr Mackillop at the Neurology Symposium on 4 October 2012 at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.
Neurological diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in pregnancy. The management of multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, myasthenia gravis, certain neuropathies and headache in pregnancy is described; the potentially life-threatening conditions of stroke and eclampsia are also discussed. Management of most neurological conditions is similar to outside of pregnancy, but special consideration should be given to delivery plans and the safety of medications antenatally and during breastfeeding. Pre-pregnancy counselling, regular review and effective communication among a multi-disciplinary team are key to optimising management and outcomes.
Keywords Pregnancy, neurology, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, headache
Declaration of Interests No conflicts of interest declared.
