ABSTRACT

The probability of sudden death for patient with epilepsy is almost 24 times higher than for someone without epilepsy. Our case was a 40 years old woman with epilepsy who was six months pregnant when she was dead at her home. Although external examination and autopsy were performed, no patho-logical signs indicating a cause for death or no signs of trauma indicating an epileptic seizure were observed. Nothing was fo- und in toxicological analysis to reveal a reason for death.

When external examination, autopsy report, scene investiga-tion and medical history in forensic investigation folder are evaluated together, reason of death is thought to be definete sudden unexpected death in epileptic patient according to SU-DEP criteria.

This case is presented to attract attention to autopsies of pa-tients with epilepsy and to discuss the principles of medicolegal approach to these cases.

Keywords: Epilepsy, sudden death, SUDEP, pregnancy