Therapeutic issues in women with epilepsy.
Approximately 20% of people with epilepsy are of childbearing potential and about 3 to 5 births per thousand will be to women with epilepsy. Both epilepsy and antiepileptic drugs can cause specific problems in women and embryos (less than 8 weeks of gestational age) or foetuses (more than 8 weeks of gestational age). The aim of this paper is to discuss therapeutic issues for the management of women with epilepsy: initiation of antiepileptic therapy, contraception, pregnancy, breast feeding and menopause. Some fertility issues are also discussed.
Legros
B
B
Hôpital Erasme-Service de neurologie, 808, route de Lennik, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium. blegros@ulb.ac.be
Bottin
P
P
de Borchgrave
V
V
Delcourt
C
C
de Tourtchaninoff
M
M
Dubru
J M
JM
Foulon
M
M
Ghariani
S
S
Grisar
T
T
Hotermans
C
C
Ossemann
M
M
Sadzot
B
B
Tugendhaft
P
P
Van Bogaert
P
P
van Rijckevorsel
K
K
Verheulpen
D
D
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001942:Breast Feeding; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D000927:Anticonvulsants