Bell Palsy Complicating Pregnancy: A Review

Cohen, Yoram; Lavie, Ofer; Granovsky-Grisaru, Sorina; Aboulafia, Y; Diamant, Yoram Z.

doi:10.1097/00006254-200003000-00027

Cited by 76 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 19 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Reversible Horner's syndrome is reported to arise after epidural anesthesia in 0.4% to 2.5% of cases (e5). The probability of development of a transient facial nerve palsy during pregnancy is 38-45 per 100 000 births, or three times higher than at other times (7).…”

Section: Pathological Ocular Changesmentioning

confidence: 84%

Ocular Changes During Pregnancy

Mackensen¹,

Paulus²,

Max³

et al. 2014

Deutsches Ärzteblatt International

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Section: Pathological Ocular Changesmentioning

confidence: 84%

Ocular Changes During Pregnancy

Mackensen¹,

Paulus²,

Max³

et al. 2014

Deutsches Ärzteblatt International

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…[1][2][3] Pregnant women are affected three times more often than non-pregnant women; 3 the majority of cases occur during the third trimester (71%) and early postpartum period (21%). 4 Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this predisposition of pregnant women to Bell's palsy including immunosuppression, 2,5 increased HZV susceptibility, 2,3,5 but also increased extracellular fluid content. [1][2][3]5 Several reports have emphasized a particular link between Bell's palsy and pregnancy complicated by PE.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…4 Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this predisposition of pregnant women to Bell's palsy including immunosuppression, 2,5 increased HZV susceptibility, 2,3,5 but also increased extracellular fluid content. [1][2][3]5 Several reports have emphasized a particular link between Bell's palsy and pregnancy complicated by PE. 4,6 A recent retrospective study on 242,216 deliveries found 42 cases of Bell's palsy during pregnancy which was significantly associated with obesity (odds ratio, OR ¼ 9.08), chronic hypertension (OR ¼ 6.69) and severe PE (OR ¼ 9.46).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bell's palsy in pregnancy: underlying HELLP syndrome or pre-eclampsia?

Pourrât

Pierre

2013

Obstet Med

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Bell's palsy is not uncommon during pregnancy. An association with pre-eclampsia (PE) has been reported previously. Furthermore, it has even been suggested that Bell's palsy could be a predictor of PE. We report three cases illustrating various possible aspects of this association, one of them including the features of HELLP (haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets) syndrome.Keywords general medicine, high-risk pregnancy, maternal-fetal medicine, neurology Case reportsThe main features of Bell's palsy and pre-eclampsia (PE) in the three cases are summarized in Tables 1 and 2. Case 1A 29-year-old gravida 1, para 0 woman was admitted to hospital at 39 weeks of gestation with a history of sudden onset of severe epigastric pain. At admission, blood pressure was normal and there was no proteinuria but HELLP (haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets) syndrome was diagnosed: the platelet count had fallen from 133 Â 10 9 /L at 36 weeks to 83 Â 10 9 /L, aspartate aminotransferase was 362 IU/ L, alanine transaminase was 282 IU/L and total bilirubin level was 10 mmol/L (normal range: 1-17). Corticosteroids were given because of low platelet count (betamethasone, 20 mg intravenously/12 hourly) and labour was induced. Four days after delivery, a left facial weakness occurred and progressed to complete isolated Bell's palsy over two days. Methylprednisolone was given intravenously (60 mg/day) for eight days, followed by oral prednisolone (30 mg/day) for four days. There was a moderate improvement over the next few months but permanent residual left facial palsy remained. Serological examination was negative for viruses as well as for antiphospholipid (lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin, anti-2 -glycoprotein type I) and antinuclear antibodies. Three years later, a subsequent pregnancy was completed without any complication except for late slight gestational thrombocytopenia. Case 2A 35-year-old gravida 2, para 0 woman was admitted to hospital at 31 weeks of gestation because of right facial weakness. The pregnancy was a twin gestation following intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Facial weakness progressed to complete facial paralysis within two days. Steroid therapy (prednisone 60 mg/day for 5 days) was followed by complete remission of the palsy within eihjt days. At 33 weeks, a diagnosis of PE was made, leading to a decision to perform a caesarean section: the first newborn weighed 1530 g; the second one was growthrestricted (1170 g). Viral serology was negative for varicella zoster (VZV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), parvovirus B19, HIV and hepatitis B. Treponema pallidum particle agglutination assay and Venereal Disease Research Laboratory tests for syphilis were negative, as were antinuclear and antiphospholipid antibodies. Case 3A 27-year-old gravida 1, para 0 woman was admitted to hospital at 34 weeks of gestation because of right facial weakness. A diagnosis of complete idiopathic right facial palsy was made. She was given oral corticosteroid therapy (prednisone 40 mg/day) and acyclovir fo...

show abstract

“…It was observed subsequently that women were affected two to four times more often than men of the same age, and pregnant women were affected three to four times more often than non-pregnant women [3]. Bell's palsy is believed to be caused by inflammation of the facial nerve at the geniculate …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Woe of Pregnant Females: The Seductive Mona Lisa Syndrome

Atam¹,

Singh²,

Das³

et al. 2013

JCR

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:Mona Lisa syndrome is the most fascinating of all pregnancy related syndromes. It represents the characteristic idiopathic lower motor neuron facial nerve palsy mainly presenting in third trimester and associated with facial asymmetry caused by protracted and incomplete motor regeneration of the facial nerve. We encountered a pregnant female with idiopathic left facial nerve palsy of initial House-Brackmann Grade VI who on serial monitoring with facial electroneurography was identified as Mona Lisa syndrome.

show abstract

Bell Palsy Complicating Pregnancy: A Review

Abstract: After completion of this article, the reader will be able to identify the potential etiologies of Bell palsy associated with pregnancy and to describe the clinical presentation of this condition in pregnancy and its likelihood for recovery.

Cited by 76 publications

References 19 publications

Ocular Changes During Pregnancy

Ocular Changes During Pregnancy

Bell's palsy in pregnancy: underlying HELLP syndrome or pre-eclampsia?

Woe of Pregnant Females: The Seductive Mona Lisa Syndrome

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About