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Reproduction Among Individuals with Idiopathic/Cryptogenic Epilepsy: Risk Factors for Spontaneous Abortion
Author(s) -
Schupf Nicole,
Ottman Rrth
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1997.tb01470.x
Subject(s) - epilepsy , abortion , medicine , pregnancy , family history , odds ratio , offspring , risk factor , obstetrics , pediatrics , gynecology , psychiatry , genetics , biology
Summary:Purpose: We wished to determine the effects of seizure type, age at onset, and family history of epilepsy on risk of spontaneous abortion in the pregnancies of adults with id‐iopathichyptogenic epilepsy. Methods : We examined pregnancy outcomes in 812 adults with idiopathic/cryptogenic epilepsy who had ever had or fathered a pregnancy and 250 of their same sex siblings who had ever had or fathered a pregnancy. We compared the likelihood of spontaneous abortion before and after onset of epilepsy with the likelihood of spontaneous abortion among same sex siblings. Results : Risk of spontaneous abortion was not increased before onset of epilepsy. After onset of epilepsy, risk of spontaneous abortion was significantly increased in the pregnancies of wives of men who had localization‐related epilepsy with age at onset <10 years or who did not have a family history of epilepsy. In women after onset of epilepsy, risk of spontaneous abortion was significantly increased for pregnancies of women with localization‐related epilepsy with age at onset G20 years and for those of women with or without a family history of epilepsy. Risk of spontaneous abortion was greatest in the pregnancies of women with a positive family history of epilepsy odds ratio, (OR = 2.12, p < 0.05). Conclusions : Risk of spontaneous abortion in the pregnancies of men and women with idiopathic/cryptogenic epilepsy varied with the clinical characteristics of their epilepsy. The increased risk of spontaneous abortion in women with a family history of epilepsy may influence the observed risk of epilepsy in their live‐born offspring.