EEG After Birth: When Postpartum Brain Health Needs a Closer Look

The postpartum period is one of the most intense transitions the body will ever experience. Hormones shift rapidly. Sleep becomes fragmented. Blood pressure and fluid levels change. The nervous system is adjusting while caring for a newborn.

For women who had seizures during pregnancy or concerning neurological symptoms, follow-up care after birth is just as important as care during pregnancy.

Why EEG may be needed postpartum

Some neurological risks do not end with delivery. In fact, seizures can occur days or even weeks after birth, especially in women who experienced seizures or high-risk conditions during pregnancy.

An EEG after delivery may be recommended if a postpartum patient experiences:

• Seizures during pregnancy or labor

• New seizures after delivery

• Episodes of confusion or zoning out

• Severe headaches that feel different than usual

• Jerking movements during sleep

• Ongoing neurological symptoms without explanation

The postpartum period places additional stress on the brain. Sleep deprivation alone can increase seizure risk, even in women who have never had seizures before.

What a postpartum EEG helps determine

A postpartum EEG can help providers answer important questions:

Is there ongoing seizure activity?

Has brain activity returned to baseline?

Is treatment still necessary?

Can medications be adjusted or discontinued safely?

In many cases, EEG results are reassuring. For new mothers, reassurance can be incredibly powerful during a time that already feels overwhelming.

When abnormalities are found, early detection allows care teams to respond appropriately and prevent further complications.

Why postpartum symptoms are often missed

Many postpartum neurological symptoms are overlooked because they overlap with normal exhaustion. Brain fog, memory lapses, and feeling “off” are often minimized or dismissed.

While fatigue is expected, neurological symptoms deserve attention, especially when there is a history of seizures or pregnancy-related complications.

EEG provides objective data. It replaces uncertainty with information.

In-home EEG and postpartum care

Postpartum recovery can make traveling to appointments difficult. In-home EEG testing allows mothers to remain in a familiar environment, care for their baby, and rest while still completing important neurological evaluation.

Capturing brain activity during real sleep and daily routines often provides meaningful insights that short in-clinic tests cannot.

Supporting moms beyond delivery

Postpartum care should include brain health. For women who experienced seizures during pregnancy, follow-up EEG is part of closing the loop and ensuring a safe transition into motherhood.

At West Wave Neuro, we believe in supporting neurological health pre pregnancy, during and postpartum. Because caring for moms means caring for what comes next.