Women with epilepsy and post partum bleeding – Is there a role for vitamin K supplementation?

PURPOSE Guidelines for women with epilepsy (WWE) are advising those on enzyme inducing drugs EIAEDs to take vitamin K the last month of pregnancy. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether WWE have a higher frequency of large post partum hemorrhage. Secondary we wanted to see if this was more severe in women taking EIAEDs, and also to evaluate whether those receiving prenatal vitamin K supplementation have a less pronounced risk. METHODS All patients (n=109), with the diagnosis of epilepsy giving birth at OUS Rikshospitalet from 2006 to 2011 were selected to be in the epilepsy group. They were compared to controls with regard to the amount of post partum hemorrhage, gestational age for the mother, birth weight and APGAR score in the newborns. RESULTS No significant difference between the groups regarding post partum hemorrhage, gestational age, birthweight or APGAR score in the newborn was found. Also, comparing the WWE using EIAED who received prenatal vitamin K with those who did not receive vitamin K, no significant difference in post partum hemorrhage could be demonstrated. CONCLUSION In this study, WWE was not found to have increased risk of post partum hemmorrhage including those using EIAED with/without vitamin K supplementation.