REVIEW ARTICLE

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Abstract
Newborns with signs of myasthenia gravis may be divided into two groups, depending on the presence or absence of myasthenia in the mother. Those infants born of myasthenic mothers are characterized by severe signs at birth or within the first few days of life, usually require immediate neostigmine therapy, and occasionally die. Those that survive, however, become normal in a matter of weeks and show no signs of myasthenia thereafter despite cessation of treatment. These cases are designated as transitory myasthenia of the newborn. The second group, less common, is composed of infants born of non-myasthenic mothers. Their signs are much less severe at birth but persist and tend to increase with age, the majority requiring neostigmine in childhood. These represent cases of "true" congenital myasthenia. This paper presents three cases of transitory myasthenia of the newborn, three probable cases of the same syndrome, and one case of congenital myasthenia. All of the previously reported cases are reviewed and the etiology of myasthenia gravis is considered.

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