Nasal Meningitis at 32 Weeks' Gestation

We encountered a patient who developed meningitis subsequent to acute sinusitis at 32 weeks' gestation. Sinusitis sometimes causes intracranial complications with inflammation advancing into the skull because of its anatomical location. Its risk is high in pregnant women because the administration of antibiotics is often suspended in consideration of its effect on fetuses. Also in the present case, rhinorrhea had been noticed about one month previously, but no treatment was given, and while the clinical course was observed by oral administration of only antipyretic analgesics even after the manifestation of headache and fever, meningitis developed concurrently. There was concern about cranial nerve sequelae of the mother and child because of persistant convulsions and disturbances of consciousness; however, recovery was achieved by early diagnosis, early surgical operation and postoperative management.