Delivery outcome of women with epilepsy:a population‐based cohort study

Please cite this paper as: Borthen I, Eide M, Daltveit A, Gilhus N. Delivery outcome of women with epilepsy: a population‐based cohort study. BJOG 2010;117:1537–1543. Objective To investigate whether women with epilepsy have increased risks of complications during labour, and to explore the impact of antiepileptic drug use. Design Population‐based cohort study. Setting Data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway 1999–2005. Population All births (n = 372 128) delivered in Norway, ensured through linkage with the National Population Registry run by Statistics Norway. All singleton births and the first child in multiple pregnancies were included, leaving 365 107 pregnancies for analysis. Methods Data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway 1999–2005 were analysed. Main outcome measures Induction, caesarean section, use of forceps and vacuum, abnormal presentation, placental abruption, mechanical disproportion, postpartum haemorrhage, atony and Apgar score