@article{a5bf0e632b4b4c13885fe93f8dad96d8,
title = "Seizure control in successive pregnancies in Australian women with epilepsy",
abstract = "Objectives: To investigate control of epileptic seizures during pairs of successive pregnancies in antiseizure medication (ASM)-treated women with epilepsy. Materials and Methods: Analysis of seizure freedom rates during 436 pairs of successive pregnancies in Australian women with epilepsy, in nearly all instances long-standing epilepsy. Result: There was a higher rate of seizure-free second pregnancies compared with first paired pregnancies (63.1% vs. 51.4%; Relative Risk (R.R.) = 1.2277; 95% CI 1.0930, 1.3789) and of seizure-free pre-pregnancy years before second as compared with first paired pregnancies in the same women (63.6% vs. 52.4%; R.R. = 1.2616; 95% CI 1.1337, 1.4040). In 108 women whose ASM therapy was unaltered throughout both of their pregnancies, the seizure-freedom rate was higher in the second of the paired pregnancies (82.4% vs. 69.4%; R.R. = 1.1867, 95% CI 1.0189, 1.3821). Conclusions: Altered ASM therapy after the first of a pair of successive pregnancies did not fully account for the better overall seizure control in the corresponding second pregnancies. Some additional factor may have been in operation, possibly a greater preparedness to undertake a further pregnancy if seizures were already fully controlled.",
keywords = "antiseizure medication, epilepsy, pregnancy, seizure freedom, successive pregnancies",
author = "Vajda, {Frank J.E.} and O'Brien, {Terence J.} and Janet Graham and Hitchcock, {Alison A.} and Piero Perucca and Lander, {Cecilie M.} and Eadie, {Mervyn J.}",
note = "Funding Information: We are grateful to professional and lay colleagues and to various bodies for referring patients to the APR, and also to the Scientific Advisory Board and the Ethical Research Committees of St. Vincent's Hospital, Monash Medical Centre, the Royal Melbourne Hospital and other relevant institutions for continuing ethics oversight of the APR. Over its years, The Epilepsy Society of Australia, The Royal Melbourne Hospital Neuroscience Foundation, Epilepsy Action Australia, the NHMRC and the pharmaceutical companies Sanofi‐Aventis, UCB Pharma and Eisai and have provided financial support towards the maintenance of the APR. Open access publishing facilitated by The University of Melbourne, as part of the Wiley ‐ The University of Melbourne agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians. Funding Information: FJE Vajda has received research support for the Australian Pregnancy Register from the Epilepsy Society of Australia, NHMRC, RMH Neuroscience Foundation, Epilepsy Action Australia, Sanofi‐Aventis, Eisai, and UCB Pharma. T O'Brien has received research support from the Epilepsy Society of Australia, NHMRC, RMH Neuroscience Foundation, Sanofi‐Aventis, UCB Pharma, Sci‐Gen and Eisai. P. Perucca is currently supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (APP1163708), the Epilepsy Foundation, The University of Melbourne, Monash University, Brain Australia, and the Weary Dunlop Medical Research Foundation. He has received speaker honoraria or consultancy fees paid to his institution from Chiesi, Eisai, LivaNova, Novartis, Sun Pharma, Supernus, and UCB Pharma, and is an Associate Editor for . JE Graham, AA Hitchcock, CM Lander and MJ Eadie have no relevant conflicts of interest. Epilepsia Open Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",
year = "2022",
month = nov,
doi = "10.1111/ane.13688",
language = "English",
volume = "146",
pages = "610--614",
journal = "Acta Neurologica Scandinavica",
issn = "0001-6314",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",
number = "5",
}