Suicide due to fear of COVID-19, in the last month of pregnancy, leads to neonatal seizure: A case report

Javad Boskabadi; Saeed Kargar-Soleiman Abad; Shahrokh Mehrpisheh; Elham Pishavar; Roya Farhadi

doi:10.1016/j.amsu.2021.103119

Suicide due to fear of COVID-19, in the last month of pregnancy, leads to neonatal seizure: A case report

Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2021 Dec:72:103119. doi: 10.1016/j.amsu.2021.103119. Epub 2021 Nov 24.

Authors

Javad Boskabadi¹, Saeed Kargar-Soleiman Abad², Shahrokh Mehrpisheh³, Elham Pishavar⁴, Roya Farhadi⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
² Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
³ Department of Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
⁴ Department of Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
⁵ Department of Neonatology, Pediatrics Infectious Diseases Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: and importance: Limited data are available about various effects of COVID-19 on pregnancy. On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic could exacerbate anxiety or schizophrenia symptoms.

Case presentation: The patient is a 5-day-old newborn, whom his mother suffers from schizophrenia, depression and anxiety disorders. The young pregnant mother gets delusions of being infected with Covid-19, thus attempts suicide with Sertraline, Clonazepam, Quetiapine and Rispeirdone, although she was in the last week of pregnancy. The newborn baby referred to our neonatal ward with seizure and apnea. Phenytoin and caffeine were administered leading to some degree of symptom relief, but due to the dermatologic reactions of phenytoin, they were replaced with levetiracetam.

Clinical discussion: The Covid-19 may increase levels of anxiety and depression or exacerbation of schizophrenia symptoms, especially in pregnant women suffering from mental disorders. In addition, there are evidence supporting the occurrence of neonatal malformations as a result of exposure to antipsychotic drugs during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Conclusion: Investigating the role of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs in the perinatal period, especially near delivery has received less attention so far; thus further studies are required to determine the safety of these drugs.

Keywords: COVID-19; Case report; Mental health; Neonatal seizure; Pregnancy.

Publication types

Case Reports