Background: Psychosis in pregnancy is rare and could be life-threatening. It requires prompt evaluation and proper management accordingly. Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAr) encephalitis following herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is a rare cause of psychosis during pregnancy.
Case presentation: A 20-year-old woman at 18 weeks gestation presented with agitation and a 3-day history of hallucinations. She had a prior hospitalization for HSV encephalitis 6 weeks before. Her laboratory workup was unremarkable except for positive anti-NMDAr antibodies in the CSF. The patient was treated with high-dose corticosteroids and plasmapheresis, and she was discharged 2 weeks later fully recovered.
Conclusions: Anti-NMDAr encephalitis can be the culprit behind a new-onset of psychosis in pregnancy. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial.
Keywords: Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis; Case report; Herpes simplex virus; Pregnancy; Psychosis.
© 2021. The Author(s).