Acute Neurological Issues in Pregnancy and the Peripartum

Hosley, Catherine M. MD
McCullough, Louise D. MD, PhD

¹Hartford Hospital Stroke Center, Hartford CT, USA
²The University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA

Louise D. McCullough, The University of Connecticut Health Center, MC-1840, Farmington, CT 06030, USA Email: [email protected]

The Neurohospitalist 1(2):p 104-116, April 2011. | DOI: 10.1177/1941875211399126

Acute neurological diseases requiring hospitalization are relatively rare in women of childbearing age. However, during pregnancy and the postpartum period, several diseases increase in prevalence. Some are unique to the pregnant/postpartum state including preeclampsia and delivery-associated neuropathies. Others, although indirectly related to pregnancy, such as cerebral venous thrombosis, ischemic stroke, and intracerebral hemorrhage, increase in frequency and carry considerable risk of morbidity and mortality. In addition, treatment options are often limited. This review discusses the diseases more commonly seen during pregnancy and the postpartum period, with a focus on emergent neurological diseases and their management. Interventional therapies will also be discussed.