Neurological disorders

When you have completed this course, you will be able to:

• describe the neurological disorders most likely to present in a pregnant woman
• provide prenatal counselling and contraceptive advice, particularly with regard to epilepsy
• describe the risk of teratogenicity associated with different antiepileptic medications (AEDs)
• explain the maternal effects of neurological disorders in pregnancy
• explain the fetal/neonatal effects of neurological disorders in pregnancy
• manage a pregnancy complicated by neurological disease.

Dr Laura Stirrat MRCOG (2023)

This course is intended to help clinicians gain core knowledge for O&G training and the MRCOG examinations. It can also be used by O&G consultants to refresh their knowledge of the area or for teaching.

The content of this course relates to the following Capabilities in Practice (CiPs) and key skills:

CiP 1: Clinical skills and patient care
Relevant to all key skills

CiP 2: Working in health organisations
Adheres to legal, professional requirements
Understands ethical principles

CiP 3: Leadership
Influences and negotiates
Demonstrates insight

CiP 5: Human factors
Team working

CiP 6: Developing self & others
Commits to continued learning

CiP 9: Emergency gynaecology and early pregnancy
Manages other early pregnancy complications
Manages acute infections
Manages complications of treatment

CiP 10: Emergency obstetrics
Manages induction, augmentation of labour
Manages labour
Manages emergency birth, postpartum problems
Manages maternal collapse
Manages concerns about fetal wellbeing
Manages suspected pre-term labour/SROM
Manages intrapartum fetal surveillance

CiP 12: Non-emergency obstetrics
Relevant to all key skills 

CiP 13: Non-discrimination and inclusion
Awareness of social wellbeing
Mental and physical health associations

CiP 14: Health promotion
Promotes a healthy lifestyle
Promotes illness prevention

Further details about each CiP can be found within the O&G Core Curriculum 2024 Definitive Document, available here.

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Epilepsy in Pregnancy, Green-top Guideline No 68. London: RCOG; 2016.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Intrapartum Care for Women with Existing Medical Conditions or Obstetric Complications and their Babies. NG121. NICE; 2019.