In seizure evaluation, when is a pregnancy test indicated?

• A. Never necessary.
• B. Pregnancy test if applicable.
• C. Only in men.
• D. Only if patient has a confirmed pregnancy.

Answer: (B)

In seizure evaluation, knowing whether a patient is pregnant can change both medication choices and safety considerations, since many antiseizure drugs carry teratogenic risks and some management steps differ in pregnancy. Therefore, a pregnancy test is indicated whenever pregnancy could be possible for the patient—typically in individuals of childbirth potential or those for whom pregnancy would affect treatment decisions. This helps prevent exposing a fetus to teratogens and ensures appropriate choices and monitoring. It wouldn’t be useful to test only after a pregnancy is confirmed, and it isn’t relevant to men, so the best approach is to test “if applicable.”