Guillain-Barré syndrome complicating pregnancy and correlation with maternal and fetal outcome in North Eastern India: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is rare in pregnancy with an estimated incidence between 1.2 and 1.9 cases per 100,000 people annually, and it is generally accepted that it carries a high maternal risk. Most reports of GBS with pregnancy are case reports only. AIM: Purpose of this retrospective study was to find the correlation between pregnancy and GBS. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Records of patients admitted in neurology division were analyzed in a tertiary care teaching hospital in the northeastern Indian pregnant female population with GBS between 15-49 years during the period of 2009-2013. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the records of 47 patients with pregnancy and GBS, evaluated and treated in our institute from August 2009 to December 2013. This is retrospective observational study done in North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), India. RESULT: Predominant form of GBS was acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP). The weakness started from the lower limbs in majority of patients. Ten percent of women had bifacial weakness. Most of patients had good maternal and fetal outcome. Two patients received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Only two patient required ventilator supports and one patient had intrauterine death (IUD) and died due to respiratory failure. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that risk of GBS increases in third trimester and first 2 weeks after delivery. Demyelinating variety of GBS was common in our population. GBS natural course during pregnancy is mild and showed quick recovery. Maternal and perinatal outcome was good.