| خلاصه مقاله | Title: Epilepsy in Women
Author: Mohammad-Amin Farzi, MD Neurologist-Epilepsy Fellowship
Affiliation: Neurology Department, Razi Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences
Abstract
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurologic disorders in women and approximately 12.5 million people of childbearing potential worldwide have epilepsy,
The effects of antiseizure medications and other treatments as well as seizures on sexual and reproductive health are of great concern in women with epilepsy (WWE). Hormone fluctuations may also affect seizure frequency, treatment, and contraception.
In WWE, menstrual cycle irregularities, increased risk of infertility, and/or signs of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are frequently encountered. Both seizures and ASMs have been causally implicated.
Regarding fertility it seems that in women with and without epilepsy seeking pregnancy there is no differences in pregnancy rates or time to pregnancy. This may suggest that the lower birth rates seen in WWE may be less due to reproductive dysfunction as compared to lower marriage rates, fear of birth defects, and/or concern for an increased risk of epilepsy in the offspring
As in the general population, pregnancies in WWE are often unplanned. During pregnancy in WWE physiologic changes affect antiseizure medication metabolism and in some of those with considerable decline in serum concentration it is necessary to increase the dosage of drug to maintain therapeutic concentration.
Contraceptive management in WWE is paramount due to the possible maternal and fetal complications if contraception fails. Furthermore, the use of enzyme-inducing ASMs can result in the failure of common oral contraceptives (OCs) and may contribute to the relatively high number of unplanned pregnancies in WWE.
Preconceptual folic acid supplementation is recommended in WWE to reduce the risk of congenital malformations, but there is no consensus on the optimal dose. |