Background: Electroconvulsive therapy for the treatment of depressive and bipolar disorders has been advocated as being safe and effective in pregnancy.
Case: A primigravida underwent multiple electroconvulsive treatments during pregnancy for the diagnosis of major depression. The infant was subsequently born with multiple deep interhemispheric infarcts.
Conclusion: Despite reassuring statements regarding the safety of electroconvulsive therapy, this case report and a review of the literature suggests that electroconvulsive therapy during pregnancy should be performed with caution.