Postterm Delivery and Risk for Epilepsy in Childhood

Abstract

Prolonged gestation is a risk factor for early epilepsy; the added increase in risk for instrument-assisted and cesarean deliveries could be attributable to factors that are related to both birth complications and epilepsy.

Asphyxia, Neurologic Morbidity, and Perinatal Mortality in Early-Term and Postterm Birth

“…One study reported an association of epilepsy with postterm birth. 30 Conversely, we found that postterm birth did not lead to increased risk for epilepsy or sensorineural defects, whereas earlyterm birth did. Lower IQ occurs in early-term and postterm birth, with the highest IQ at term.…”

Complications fœtales et néonatales des grossesses prolongées

“…Les enfants nés post-terme (n = 354) présentaient plus de troubles du développement psychomoteur à quatre ans que les enfants nés à terme (OR = 2,2 ; IC 95 % = 1,3-3,8) [38] (NP3). À partir d'une large cohorte norvégienne de plus de 1 682 441 enfants nés à partir de 37 +0 SA jusqu'à 44 +6 Une étude de cohorte menée à partir de trois régions danoises [41], regroupant 277 435 naissances à terme dont 32 557 post-terme, a étudié l'association entre la naissance post-terme et l'épilepsie dans l'enfance. Le taux d'incidence d'épilepsie pendant la première année de vie était de 23 sur 10 000 personnes/années entre 39 +0 et 41 +6 SA, 28 sur 10 000 personnes/années à 42 0-6 SA et 44 sur 10 000 personnes/années à partir de 43 +0 SA.…”

Postterm Pregnancy

“…29 There is also limited evidence for increased neurologic morbidity, including early epilepsy within the first year of life, with RR 1.3 and 2.0 for birth at 42 and 43 weeks' gestation, respectively, as compared with births from 39 to 41 completed weeks' gestation. 30 The authors hypothesized that postterm delivery may predispose to epilepsy because of increased risk for mechanical, infectious, or hypoxic injury to the developing brain, as in the case of MAS.…”