Pregnancy Outcomes in Epilepsy Patients Treated with Neuromodulating Devices.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Neuromodulation provides additional treatment options for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy who are not candidates or unwilling to undergo resective or ablative surgery. However, our current knowledge on the safety and efficacy of different neuromodulating devices during pregnancy is limited. This article reviews recent research on pregnancy outcomes in epilepsy patients treated with vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), deep brain stimulation (DBS), or responsive neurostimulation (RNS).

RECENT FINDINGS

Currently available information about pregnancy outcomes in epilepsy patients with neuromodulating devices all comes from cases series or case reports. Randomized control trials or prospective observational studies are lacking in this patient population. The overall sample size is too small to draw conclusions on the safety of these neuromodulating devices in pregnancy and maternal outcomes including obstetric complications. There is no clear sign of device-related teratogenicity. Further research should be directed at establishing a pregnancy registry and conducting multi-center prospective studies to track pregnancy outcomes in epilepsy patients with various neuromodulating devices.