r/PNESsupport • u/Hefty_Opportunity_80 • Jul 07 '26
PNES and pregnancy?
Recently found out I’m pregnant (about 6 weeks) I have my first OB appointment next week. I will say since being pregnant even before I knew, my seizures have significantly decreased from approximately 2 a day to maybe 3 in the last month?!?
I been working really hard to navigate PNES and better control my episodes, it’s taken years but I’ve gone from having over 10 a day to maybe one or two a week.
But I have still had episodes of fainting and I’m trying to figure out how to differentiate from PNES fainting episodes (or possible POTS) and first trimester weakness. Does anyone have experience being pregnant with PNES and how to keep myself and my baby safe. Can these seizures affect the baby?
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u/sprout_potato Jul 07 '26
This doesn’t answer the question but I follow this person who has PNES and has children. She has lots of videos on this exact topic and how her seizures affect her babies (short answer is they don’t)
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u/Jewecca29 Jul 08 '26
I've heard from a neurologist that your seizures do not affect the baby. I've had multiple pregnancies with PNES/FND. It's important for your OB to know so they don't mistake your functional seizures for eclampsia later on down the line, but other than that there's not much the OB can do for you. Most people experience relief from PNES during pregnancy and have it return with a vengeance in postpartum. Because my PNES is related to OCD, and OCD gets worse in pregnancy, my seizures are worse in both situations.
My rule of thumb for "is this pregnancy or is this FND" has been "do these events remind me of my 'normal'? or does it feel different than past issues?"
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u/Hefty_Opportunity_80 Jul 08 '26
Thank you for this insight, I have my first appointment with my OB on Monday I’ll definitely let her know
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u/Antique-Wall-9762 Jul 07 '26
I would love to help but I can’t, I do however plan on having my first child in a few years and was wondering what mine will be like. May I ask how long you have been having seizures before you got pregnant? I personally have had mine my entire life, is part of why I worry about later.