Pregnancy in patients with cerebrospinal fluid shunts: report of a series and review of the literature.

Hydrocephalic women with cerebrospinal fluid shunts are now surviving to reproductive age. Twenty-one pregnancies in 18 patients with shunts, including 11 from the present series and 10 from previous series, were analyzed for neurological, obstetrical, and perinatal outcome. Fourteen women had preexisting shunts, and 4 had the onset of symptomatic hydrocephalus and the placement of shunts during pregnancy. Neurological complications occurred in 13 of 17 (76%) pregnancies in patients with preexisting shunts, including symptoms of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) in 10 of 17 (59%) pregnancies, exacerbation of seizure disorder in 2 of 17 (12%) pregnancies, and severe headaches without increased ICD in 1 patient. In 7 of 11 (66%) of the symptomatic patients, symptoms spontaneously resolved postpartum. Four of 17 (23%) of these pregnancies were associated with shunt obstruction requiring antepartum or postpartum surgery. Four patients had a primary shunt placement, and one had a shunt revision during pregnancy without complications. There were no unusual obstetrical or perinatal complications in the series. The clinical management of pregnant patients with hydrocephalus should include preconception counseling and magnetic resonance imaging, as well as the use of serial antenatal magnetic resonance images, ICP monitoring, or the judicious use of radioisotope studies of shunt patency if signs of increased ICP appear. A cesarean section is recommended for the delivery of the neurologically unstable patient. For asymptomatic mothers, a vaginal delivery with a shortened second stage and prophylactic antibiotics are advised.