The following websites and resources address some of the unique concerns of women with an epilepsy diagnosis.
Epilepsy & Pregnancy Medical Consortium
Informational writeups covering topics including contraception, pregnancy planning, pregnancy monitoring, labor and delivery, anti-seizure medication tapering, breastfeeding, and postpartum care among others.
A clinician portal covering the same topics at a level of detail more appropriate for clinicians
Videos from the EPMC clinicians discussing the research and recommendations and from patients speaking about their experiences prior to, during, and after pregnancy (embedded on topic pages)
Tools and resources for patients including brochures on topics such as contraception and anti-seizure medication suitability for pregnancy, a pregnancy appointment calendar, medication tapering tool, and “questions to ask your doctor” at different stages in the pregnancy journey.
Women and Epilepsy, an Initiative of the International Bureau for Epilepsy
The world of sexual development, menstruation, contraception, fertility and pregnancy is complex, but when you have epilepsy, there are extra issues you need to know about. Being a woman with epilepsy is definitely not the same as being a man with epilepsy. This website is here to help, with extensive information for every woman with epilepsy of child-bearing age, whether she wants to get pregnant or not.
The International Bureau for Epilepsy held a special 3 hour webinar about the unique issues of Women and Epilepsy in 2023. You can access the recording here.
Special Considerations for Women with Epilepsy
This webinar addresses considerations specific to women who have epilepsy, such as how hormonal changes affect girls and women with epilepsy; how ASMs (anti-seizure medications) may impact birth control (contraception); special considerations before, during, and after the pregnancy; special considerations for breastfeeding; mature women with epilepsy- menopause and bone health; special considerations for women with an intellectual or developmental disability.
Presenter: Dipali Nemade, MD, MPH Epileptologist
Orlando Health Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Institute | Neurology Group
Newer epilepsy medications used during pregnancy do not affect neurological development in children – NIH Study
“Controlling seizures during pregnancy is an important part of prenatal care for women with epilepsy, but for years, the effects of newer antiseizure medications on their children was unknown,” said Adam Hartman, M.D., program director at NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). “One major component of this study was correlating the cognitive abilities of children with maternal blood levels of the drugs. This opens the door to future work and might inform better dosing strategies.”
This page was updated on December 19, 2024.