Valerio E, Fantinato M, Giovannini IAB, Baraldi E, Chiandetti L. Severe asymptomatic maternal antepartum hyponatremia leading to neonatal seizures: prevention is better than cure.
Matern Health Neonatol Perinatol 2015;
1:25. [PMID:
27057342 PMCID:
PMC4823737 DOI:
10.1186/s40748-015-0027-0]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Accepted: 10/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Pre-delivery maternal electrolyte derangements may reflect themselves in the newborn, since placental homeostasis determines electrolyte equilibrium between mother and fetus.
Case presentation
A term newborn, transferred to our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit 1 h after birth for an apnoea episode, presented with initially left-sided, and subsequently generalized tonic-clonic seizures due to severe hyponatremia (119 mmol/L). Seizures rapidly ceased after electrolyte correction plus a phenobarbital bolus. Deep hyponatremia was also detected in the mother (123 mmol/L).
Conclusions
As placental homeostasis determines electrolytes equilibrium between mother and fetus, obstetrics and neonatologists should be aware that any maternal dyselectrolytemia will reflect itself in the newborn; hence, it is fundamental to detect possible maternal electrolyte imbalances before delivery, in order to be prepared to timely correction of electrolyte derangements in the newborn.
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