Ketogenic Diet Therapy During Pregnancy and Lactation

Increasingly, women with antiseizure medication resistant epilepsy and those with glucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome (Glut1DS) of child-bearing potential are turning to ketogenic diet therapies for treatment. Clinicians are being asked to provide their opinions and guidance regarding the safety of this approach as well as guidance and supervision during the implementation of this therapy. Clinical experience remains limited and literature data are inconclusive.

A small group consisting of members of the Dietary Therapies Task Force of the ILAE Medical Therapies Commission and ketogenic diet therapies practicing clinicians would like to gather information from the global epilepsy community about their experience treating women with epilepsy or Glut1DS using a ketogenic diet therapy while planning pregnancy, during pregnancy, or during lactation. This will allow us to share our experiences (learn more about your experience) with the aim of collating this information and developing expert consensus guidance to inform clinicians and patients.

To this end, we have developed a confidential survey, and we would be very grateful for your contributions. We would also be grateful if you could pass it on to any colleagues (medical, dietetic, nursing) who practice in the field to gather as much information as possible about current practice and experience.

Thank you for your participation,
 
Dr Anita Devlin
Chair of the ILAE Dietary Therapies Task Force