Epilepsy and pregnancy

As it is difficult to predict how seizures will be affected by pregnancy, all pregnant women with epilepsy are very closely monitored.

Some medications can have an effect on the development of the baby so it is important that you discuss planning a pregnancy with your consultant. It is preferable to change medications if need be, before rather than during pregnancy.

It is important that seizures are as well controlled as they can be to minimise any risks to the mother and baby during pregnancy.

Although the likelihood of having a seizure during labour is small, this should be discussed with the midwife and medical team and included in the birth plan.

Catamenial epilepsy

Some women find that they have a greater number of seizures at certain times in their menstrual cycle.

This is thought to be caused by the changing levels of hormones in the body and is called catamenial epilepsy.

Menstruation and ovulation are the times most commonly associated with an increase in seizure frequency, but this isn’t the case for everyone.

Talk to your doctor if you think your seizures are affected by your menstrual cycle. They can take you through the options for controlling your seizures at the times when they are more likely to occur.

Further information

Joomla\CMS\Menu\MenuItem Object ( [id] => 212 [menutype] => mainmenu [title] => Epilepsy and benefits [alias] => epilepsy-and-benefits [note] => [route] => 2014-06-27-14-01-35/living-with-epilepsy/epilepsy-and-benefits [link] => index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=67 [type] => component [level] => 3 [language] => * [browserNav] => 0 [access] => 1 [params:protected] => Joomla\Registry\Registry Object ( [data:protected] => stdClass Object ( [show_title] => [link_titles] => [show_intro] => [info_block_position] => [show_category] => [link_category] => [show_parent_category] => [link_parent_category] => [show_author] => [link_author] => [show_create_date] => [show_modify_date] => [show_publish_date] => [show_item_navigation] => [show_vote] => [show_tags] => [show_icons] => [show_print_icon] => [show_email_icon] => [show_hits] => [show_noauth] => [urls_position] => [menu-anchor_title] => [menu-anchor_css] => [menu_image] => [menu_text] => 1 [page_title] => [show_page_heading] => 0 [page_heading] => [pageclass_sfx] => [menu-meta_description] => [menu-meta_keywords] => [robots] => [secure] => 0 [dropdown_dropdown_width] => ) [initialized:protected] => 1 [separator] => . ) [home] => 0 [img] => [template_style_id] => 0 [component_id] => 22 [parent_id] => 170 [component] => com_content [tree] => Array ( [0] => 116 [1] => 170 [2] => 212 ) [query] => Array ( [option] => com_content [view] => article [id] => 67 ) [parent] => [deeper] => [shallower] => [level_diff] => 0 [active] => [flink] => /about-epilepsy/living-with-epilepsy/epilepsy-and-benefits.html [anchor_css] => [anchor_title] => [anchor_rel] => [menu_image] => [menu_image_css] => )
Epilepsy and benefits
Joomla\CMS\Menu\MenuItem Object ( [id] => 213 [menutype] => mainmenu [title] => Epilepsy and pregnancy [alias] => epilepsy-and-pregnancy [note] => [route] => 2014-06-27-14-01-35/living-with-epilepsy/epilepsy-and-pregnancy [link] => index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=40 [type] => component [level] => 3 [language] => * [browserNav] => 0 [access] => 1 [params:protected] => Joomla\Registry\Registry Object ( [data:protected] => stdClass Object ( [layout_type] => blog [show_category_heading_title_text] => [show_category_title] => [show_description] => [show_description_image] => [maxLevel] => [show_empty_categories] => [show_no_articles] => [show_subcat_desc] => [show_cat_num_articles] => [page_subheading] => [num_leading_articles] => [num_intro_articles] => [num_columns] => [num_links] => [multi_column_order] => [show_subcategory_content] => [orderby_pri] => [orderby_sec] => [order_date] => [show_pagination] => [show_pagination_results] => [show_title] => [link_titles] => [show_intro] => [info_block_position] => [show_category] => [link_category] => [show_parent_category] => [link_parent_category] => [show_author] => [link_author] => [show_create_date] => [show_modify_date] => [show_publish_date] => [show_item_navigation] => [show_vote] => [show_readmore] => [show_readmore_title] => [show_icons] => [show_print_icon] => [show_email_icon] => [show_hits] => [show_noauth] => [show_feed_link] => [feed_summary] => [menu-anchor_title] => [menu-anchor_css] => [menu_image] => [menu_text] => 1 [page_title] => [show_page_heading] => 0 [page_heading] => [pageclass_sfx] => [menu-meta_description] => [menu-meta_keywords] => [robots] => [secure] => 0 [dropdown_dropdown_width] => ) [initialized:protected] => 1 [separator] => . ) [home] => 0 [img] => [template_style_id] => 0 [component_id] => 22 [parent_id] => 170 [component] => com_content [tree] => Array ( [0] => 116 [1] => 170 [2] => 213 ) [query] => Array ( [option] => com_content [view] => category [layout] => blog [id] => 40 ) [parent] => [deeper] => [shallower] => [level_diff] => 0 [active] => [flink] => /about-epilepsy/living-with-epilepsy/epilepsy-and-pregnancy/ [anchor_css] => [anchor_title] => [anchor_rel] => [menu_image] => [menu_image_css] => )
Epilepsy and pregnancy
Joomla\CMS\Menu\MenuItem Object ( [id] => 214 [menutype] => mainmenu [title] => Epilepsy and children [alias] => epilepsy-and-its-impact [note] => [route] => 2014-06-27-14-01-35/living-with-epilepsy/epilepsy-and-its-impact [link] => index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=41 [type] => component [level] => 3 [language] => * [browserNav] => 0 [access] => 1 [params:protected] => Joomla\Registry\Registry Object ( [data:protected] => stdClass Object ( [layout_type] => blog [show_category_heading_title_text] => [show_category_title] => [show_description] => [show_description_image] => [maxLevel] => [show_empty_categories] => [show_no_articles] => [show_subcat_desc] => [show_cat_num_articles] => [show_cat_tags] => [page_subheading] => [num_leading_articles] => [num_intro_articles] => [num_columns] => [num_links] => [multi_column_order] => [show_subcategory_content] => [orderby_pri] => [orderby_sec] => [order_date] => [show_pagination] => [show_pagination_results] => [show_title] => [link_titles] => [show_intro] => [info_block_position] => [show_category] => [link_category] => [show_parent_category] => [link_parent_category] => [show_author] => [link_author] => [show_create_date] => [show_modify_date] => [show_publish_date] => [show_item_navigation] => [show_vote] => [show_readmore] => [show_readmore_title] => [show_icons] => [show_print_icon] => [show_email_icon] => [show_hits] => [show_noauth] => [show_feed_link] => [feed_summary] => [menu-anchor_title] => [menu-anchor_css] => [menu_image] => [menu_text] => 1 [page_title] => [show_page_heading] => 0 [page_heading] => [pageclass_sfx] => [menu-meta_description] => [menu-meta_keywords] => [robots] => [secure] => 0 [dropdown_dropdown_width] => ) [initialized:protected] => 1 [separator] => . ) [home] => 0 [img] => [template_style_id] => 0 [component_id] => 22 [parent_id] => 170 [component] => com_content [tree] => Array ( [0] => 116 [1] => 170 [2] => 214 ) [query] => Array ( [option] => com_content [view] => category [layout] => blog [id] => 41 ) [parent] => [deeper] => [shallower] => [level_diff] => 0 [active] => [flink] => /about-epilepsy/living-with-epilepsy/epilepsy-in-children/ [anchor_css] => [anchor_title] => [anchor_rel] => [menu_image] => [menu_image_css] => )
Epilepsy and children
Joomla\CMS\Menu\MenuItem Object ( [id] => 215 [menutype] => mainmenu [title] => Epilepsy and leisure [alias] => epilepsy-and-leisure [note] => [route] => 2014-06-27-14-01-35/living-with-epilepsy/epilepsy-and-leisure [link] => index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=42 [type] => component [level] => 3 [language] => * [browserNav] => 0 [access] => 1 [params:protected] => Joomla\Registry\Registry Object ( [data:protected] => stdClass Object ( [layout_type] => blog [show_category_heading_title_text] => [show_category_title] => [show_description] => [show_description_image] => [maxLevel] => [show_empty_categories] => [show_no_articles] => [show_subcat_desc] => [show_cat_num_articles] => [page_subheading] => [num_leading_articles] => [num_intro_articles] => [num_columns] => [num_links] => [multi_column_order] => [show_subcategory_content] => [orderby_pri] => [orderby_sec] => [order_date] => [show_pagination] => [show_pagination_results] => [show_title] => [link_titles] => [show_intro] => [info_block_position] => [show_category] => [link_category] => [show_parent_category] => [link_parent_category] => [show_author] => [link_author] => [show_create_date] => [show_modify_date] => [show_publish_date] => [show_item_navigation] => [show_vote] => [show_readmore] => [show_readmore_title] => [show_icons] => [show_print_icon] => [show_email_icon] => [show_hits] => [show_noauth] => [show_feed_link] => [feed_summary] => [menu-anchor_title] => [menu-anchor_css] => [menu_image] => [menu_text] => 1 [page_title] => [show_page_heading] => 0 [page_heading] => [pageclass_sfx] => [menu-meta_description] => [menu-meta_keywords] => [robots] => [secure] => 0 [dropdown_dropdown_width] => ) [initialized:protected] => 1 [separator] => . ) [home] => 0 [img] => [template_style_id] => 0 [component_id] => 22 [parent_id] => 170 [component] => com_content [tree] => Array ( [0] => 116 [1] => 170 [2] => 215 ) [query] => Array ( [option] => com_content [view] => category [layout] => blog [id] => 42 ) [parent] => [deeper] => [shallower] => [level_diff] => 0 [active] => [flink] => /about-epilepsy/living-with-epilepsy/epilepsy-and-leisure/ [anchor_css] => [anchor_title] => [anchor_rel] => [menu_image] => [menu_image_css] => )
Epilepsy and leisure
Joomla\CMS\Menu\MenuItem Object ( [id] => 216 [menutype] => mainmenu [title] => Epilepsy syndromes [alias] => epilepsy-syndromes [note] => [route] => 2014-06-27-14-01-35/living-with-epilepsy/epilepsy-syndromes [link] => index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76 [type] => component [level] => 3 [language] => * [browserNav] => 0 [access] => 1 [params:protected] => Joomla\Registry\Registry Object ( [data:protected] => stdClass Object ( [show_title] => [link_titles] => [show_intro] => [info_block_position] => [show_category] => [link_category] => [show_parent_category] => [link_parent_category] => [show_author] => [link_author] => [show_create_date] => [show_modify_date] => [show_publish_date] => [show_item_navigation] => [show_vote] => [show_tags] => [show_icons] => [show_print_icon] => [show_email_icon] => [show_hits] => [show_noauth] => [urls_position] => [menu-anchor_title] => [menu-anchor_css] => [menu_image] => [menu_text] => 1 [page_title] => [show_page_heading] => 0 [page_heading] => [pageclass_sfx] => [menu-meta_description] => [menu-meta_keywords] => [robots] => [secure] => 0 [dropdown_dropdown_width] => ) [initialized:protected] => 1 [separator] => . ) [home] => 0 [img] => [template_style_id] => 0 [component_id] => 22 [parent_id] => 170 [component] => com_content [tree] => Array ( [0] => 116 [1] => 170 [2] => 216 ) [query] => Array ( [option] => com_content [view] => article [id] => 76 ) [parent] => [deeper] => [shallower] => [level_diff] => 0 [active] => [flink] => /about-epilepsy/living-with-epilepsy/epilepsy-syndromes.html [anchor_css] => [anchor_title] => [anchor_rel] => [menu_image] => [menu_image_css] => )
Epilepsy syndromes
Joomla\CMS\Menu\MenuItem Object ( [id] => 217 [menutype] => mainmenu [title] => Epilepsy and associated conditions [alias] => epilepsy-and-co-morbidities-associated-conditions [note] => [route] => 2014-06-27-14-01-35/living-with-epilepsy/epilepsy-and-co-morbidities-associated-conditions [link] => index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=43 [type] => component [level] => 3 [language] => * [browserNav] => 0 [access] => 1 [params:protected] => Joomla\Registry\Registry Object ( [data:protected] => stdClass Object ( [layout_type] => blog [show_category_heading_title_text] => [show_category_title] => [show_description] => [show_description_image] => [maxLevel] => [show_empty_categories] => [show_no_articles] => [show_subcat_desc] => [show_cat_num_articles] => [show_cat_tags] => [page_subheading] => [num_leading_articles] => [num_intro_articles] => [num_columns] => [num_links] => [multi_column_order] => [show_subcategory_content] => [orderby_pri] => [orderby_sec] => [order_date] => [show_pagination] => [show_pagination_results] => [show_title] => [link_titles] => [show_intro] => [info_block_position] => [show_category] => [link_category] => [show_parent_category] => [link_parent_category] => [show_author] => [link_author] => [show_create_date] => [show_modify_date] => [show_publish_date] => [show_item_navigation] => [show_vote] => [show_readmore] => [show_readmore_title] => [show_icons] => [show_print_icon] => [show_email_icon] => [show_hits] => [show_noauth] => [show_feed_link] => [feed_summary] => [menu-anchor_title] => [menu-anchor_css] => [menu_image] => [menu_text] => 1 [page_title] => [show_page_heading] => 0 [page_heading] => [pageclass_sfx] => [menu-meta_description] => [menu-meta_keywords] => [robots] => [secure] => 0 [dropdown_dropdown_width] => ) [initialized:protected] => 1 [separator] => . ) [home] => 0 [img] => [template_style_id] => 0 [component_id] => 22 [parent_id] => 170 [component] => com_content [tree] => Array ( [0] => 116 [1] => 170 [2] => 217 ) [query] => Array ( [option] => com_content [view] => category [layout] => blog [id] => 43 ) [parent] => [deeper] => [shallower] => [level_diff] => 0 [active] => [flink] => /about-epilepsy/living-with-epilepsy/epilepsy-and-associated-conditions/ [anchor_css] => [anchor_title] => [anchor_rel] => [menu_image] => [menu_image_css] => )
Epilepsy and associated conditions
Joomla\CMS\Menu\MenuItem Object ( [id] => 171 [menutype] => mainmenu [title] => Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) [alias] => sudep [note] => [route] => 2014-06-27-14-01-35/living-with-epilepsy/sudep [link] => index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31 [type] => component [level] => 3 [language] => * [browserNav] => 0 [access] => 1 [params:protected] => Joomla\Registry\Registry Object ( [data:protected] => stdClass Object ( [show_title] => [link_titles] => [show_intro] => [info_block_position] => [show_category] => [link_category] => [show_parent_category] => [link_parent_category] => [show_author] => [link_author] => [show_create_date] => [show_modify_date] => [show_publish_date] => [show_item_navigation] => [show_vote] => [show_icons] => [show_print_icon] => [show_email_icon] => [show_hits] => [show_tags] => [show_noauth] => [urls_position] => [menu-anchor_title] => [menu-anchor_css] => menuhide [menu_image] => [menu_text] => 1 [page_title] => [show_page_heading] => 0 [page_heading] => [pageclass_sfx] => [menu-meta_description] => [menu-meta_keywords] => [robots] => [secure] => 0 [dropdown_dropdown_width] => ) [initialized:protected] => 1 [separator] => . ) [home] => 0 [img] => [template_style_id] => 0 [component_id] => 22 [parent_id] => 170 [component] => com_content [tree] => Array ( [0] => 116 [1] => 170 [2] => 171 ) [query] => Array ( [option] => com_content [view] => article [id] => 31 ) [parent] => [deeper] => [shallower] => [level_diff] => 0 [active] => [flink] => /about-epilepsy/living-with-epilepsy/sudep.html [anchor_css] => menuhide [anchor_title] => [anchor_rel] => [menu_image] => [menu_image_css] => )
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP)
Joomla\CMS\Menu\MenuItem Object ( [id] => 861 [menutype] => mainmenu [title] => Epilepsy and contraception [alias] => epilepsy-and-contraception [note] => [route] => 2014-06-27-14-01-35/living-with-epilepsy/epilepsy-and-contraception [link] => index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1494 [type] => component [level] => 3 [language] => * [browserNav] => 0 [access] => 1 [params:protected] => Joomla\Registry\Registry Object ( [data:protected] => stdClass Object ( [show_title] => [link_titles] => [show_intro] => [info_block_position] => [info_block_show_title] => [show_category] => [link_category] => [show_parent_category] => [link_parent_category] => [show_author] => [link_author] => [show_create_date] => [show_modify_date] => [show_publish_date] => [show_item_navigation] => [show_vote] => [show_icons] => [show_print_icon] => [show_email_icon] => [show_hits] => [show_tags] => [show_noauth] => [urls_position] => [menu-anchor_title] => [menu-anchor_css] => [menu_image] => [menu_text] => 1 [menu_show] => 1 [page_title] => [show_page_heading] => [page_heading] => [pageclass_sfx] => [menu-meta_description] => [menu-meta_keywords] => [robots] => [secure] => 0 [dropdown_dropdown_width] => ) [initialized:protected] => 1 [separator] => . ) [home] => 0 [img] => [template_style_id] => 0 [component_id] => 22 [parent_id] => 170 [component] => com_content [tree] => Array ( [0] => 116 [1] => 170 [2] => 861 ) [query] => Array ( [option] => com_content [view] => article [id] => 1494 ) [parent] => [deeper] => [shallower] => [level_diff] => 0 [active] => [flink] => /about-epilepsy/living-with-epilepsy/epilepsy-and-contraception.html [anchor_css] => [anchor_title] => [anchor_rel] => [menu_image] => [menu_image_css] => )
Epilepsy and contraception

Helpline: 01342 831342 (Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm)

helpline@youngepilepsy.org.uk

Star Fact!

Around 3% of people with epilepsy are photosensitive, which means their seizures are brought on by flashing lights.

Epilepsy and pregnancy

Catamenial epilepsy

Related articles

Got a great fundraising idea? Let us know

Star Fact!

Contact Us

About Us

All About Epilepsy

What We Do

Get involved

We use cookies to improve our website and your experience when using it. Cookies used for the essential operation of the site have already been set. To find out more about the cookies we use and how to delete them, see our Privacy Policy.
I accept cookies from this site Agree