Fever with seizures in pregnant women

Fever with seizures in pregnant women: Sign of a life‑threatening condition

The occurrence of seizures against a background of high fever in a pregnant woman is an extraordinary medical situation that poses a direct threat to the lives of both the mother and the child. This condition has nothing in common with benign febrile seizures in children. In an adult, and especially in a pregnant woman, it is always a sign of severe central nervous system involvement or a critical pregnancy complication. This situation requires an immediate call for emergency medical assistance and hospitalization.

Most likely and most dangerous causes

There are two main groups of causes that a doctor will consider first:

1. Eclampsia:
   • This is the most severe complication of pre‑eclampsia, characterized by the development of generalized seizure attacks.
   • Eclampsia usually develops in the second half of pregnancy in women with high blood pressure and protein in the urine. Fever may be elevated due to brain involvement.
   • This condition requires emergency delivery regardless of gestational age.
2. Neuroinfection:
   • Meningitis or encephalitis (inflammation of the meninges or brain tissue). The infection may be viral or bacterial.
   • In addition to seizures and fever, characteristic symptoms include severe headache, neck muscle rigidity (inability to flex the head forward), photophobia, and altered consciousness.

Regardless of the cause, both conditions are critical. No minutes can be wasted. Even if the seizure has stopped, the risk of recurrence is very high. Every woman should be aware of other pregnancy complications.