Tests and checks during pregnancy when you suffer from epilepsy
May 1st, 2009
Make sure your obstetrician and midwife are aware you have epilepsy as, although you will have a named midwife, you will not always see the same person for antenatal care. You will probably have more scans than the routine number, but, basically, the main tests and checks in pregnancy are as follows.
Screening tests These checks will give you a likely risk of having a baby with an abnormality and are non-invasive but not always completely accurate. It helps to discuss the implications with your midwife or doctor before having them, as one test tends to lead to another. Ultrasound scan. The first is done at 10-14 weeks as a dating scan, though skilled operators may provide reassuring detail about your baby’s development, and the second at 18-20 weeks looks for neural tube defects. However, often only an anomalies screen at 18 weeks is offered. Some centres offer a scan at 28-30 weeks to check on the baby’s growth and development. The accuracy is 70-80 per cent. Nuchal fold scan. This measures the nuchal fold at the back of the unborn baby’s neck by ultrasound to look for thickening which can indicate Down’s syndrome or a major malformation. It is done at 10-14 weeks and has an 80-90 per cent accuracy rate. There is no increased risk of Down’s syndrome in epilepsy. Triple test. This measures hormone levels to detect Down’s and neural tube defects. Done at 15-22 weeks, it has a nearly 60 per cent accuracy rate. g ^ Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP). This is a blood test which can test for Down’s and neural tube defects. Done at 16-18 weeks, it has a nearly 80 per cent accuracy rate and is usually combined with other tests. The Triple Test Plus or Biomark. This also tests for Down’s and neural tube defects and is available privately.
Diagnostic tests Unlike screening tests, these give a yes or no answer and require some thought before being taken.
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) at 10-12 weeks can detect Down’s, chromosomal disorders and other inherited conditions but not neural tube defects. Using ultrasound for guidance, a needle is inserted into the abdomen and a tiny sample of tissue taken for analysis from the placenta. There is a risk of miscarriage. Amniocentesis at 14-18 weeks detects chromosomal disorders such as Down’s, neural tube defects or genetic disorders and takes amniotic fluid for analysis. However, the results aren’t available for around five weeks. There is a 1 per cent risk of miscarriage.
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Tags: disorders, epilepsy, epilepsy children, epilepsy medication, epilepsy seizures, Health and Fitness
