The clinical characteristics and treatment of cerebral AVM in pregnancy

Abstract

Cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in pregnancy is a complex situation and there is no agreement on its hemorrhage risk and treatment. Although studies on bleeding risk of cerebral AVMs in pregnancy are very few, and they provide different results, pregnancy will increase the hemorrhagic risk of AVM and ruptured cerebral AVM in pregnancy should be actively treated. After intracranial hemorrhage, cerebral angiography should be performed for pregnant women shielded correctly. Cerebral angiography could clearly demonstrate the characteristics of cerebral AVM. Results from the literature show that the radiation dose of endovascular and stereotactic radiotherapy for cerebral AVM in pregnancy was below the safety value and was safe. For an unruptured AVM in pregnancy, if there are no bleeding factors, e.g. no coexisting aneurysm, smooth venous drainage, no venous ectasia, or high risk of treatment, then it should be observed conservatively.