Ask the Experts On Demand Webinar: Epilepsy and Pregnancy: Review of Clinician and Patient Resources with an Emphasis on Planning for the Postpartum Period and Breastfeeding-Ask the Experts On Demand Webinar: Epilepsy and Pregnancy: Review of Clinician and Patient Resources with an Emphasis on Planning for the Postpartum Period and Breastfeeding

Ask the Experts On Demand Webinar: Epilepsy and Pregnancy: Review of Clinician and Patient Resources with an Emphasis on Planning for the Postpartum Period and Breastfeeding

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Video Summary

Dr. Aparna Vadiparthi, an assistant professor of neurology, moderated a webinar on epilepsy and pregnancy, featuring Dr. Elizabeth Girard from Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Girard shared her expertise on managing epilepsy during pregnancy and postpartum, including how to adjust medication doses and encourage breastfeeding. During pregnancy, it's crucial to maintain safe and effective drug levels, with Lamotrigine and Levetiracetam being commonly preferred due to lower teratogenic risks. For postpartum management, she highlighted the importance of gradually tapering medications to pre-pregnancy levels to avoid side effects like dizziness and double vision. Breastfeeding benefits were discussed, indicating that most anti-seizure medications, including Lamotrigine and Levetiracetam, result in low infant blood levels, supporting the safety of breastfeeding. Dr. Girard recommended proactive discussions about breastfeeding and sleep strategies during pregnancy to improve outcomes and support overall infant and maternal health. The importance of avoiding valproic acid during pregnancy due to significant teratogenic risks was emphasized, unless it's the only effective treatment for the mother, in which case careful dose management and patient counseling are required.

Keywords

epilepsy

pregnancy

postpartum

Lamotrigine

Levetiracetam

breastfeeding

medication management

teratogenic risks

neurology