Epilepsy and Fertility
Last Updated:
3 Aug 2009Review Due Date:
3 Feb 2010Many women with epilepsy are able to get pregnant naturally. However, some women with epilepsy are slightly less fertile than women who don’t have epilepsy. This may be due to having epilepsy itself or taking anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). This means that you may find it takes you longer to get pregnant than a woman who doesn’t have epilepsy, or that you may need to explore fertility treatment.
Having epilepsy and taking AEDs would not prevent you from receiving fertility treatment, if your doctor thought this might help you to get pregnant. A few women may experience a small increase in the number of seizures when taking certain hormone-based fertility drugs.
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We can provide references and information on the source material we use to write our epilepsy advice and information pages. Please contact our Epilepsy Helpline by email at helpline@epilepsy.org.uk.
Epilepsy advice and information
- What is epilepsy?
- Children
- Depression
- Disability Discrimination Act (UK)
- Driving
- Education
- Employment
- Entitlements for people with epilepsy in England
- Epilepsy and caring for children: a comprehensive guide
- Epilepsy in later life
- Epilepsy information for prisons
- Getting a diagnosis
- Identity jewellery
- Inheritance
- Learning disabilities
- Living with dificult to control epilepsy
- Me and my dad
- Memory
- Men and Epilepsy
- Mobile phones and epilepsy
- Osteoporosis, osteomalacia and epilepsy
- Photosensitive epilepsy
- Safety
- Seizures
- Sports and leisure
- Stress and epilepsy
- Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP)
- Swine flu and epilepsy
- Syndromes
- Travel abroad
- Treatment
- Women and epilepsy
- Sexual development (puberty)
- Sex life
- Epilepsy and the menstrual cycle
- Epilepsy and contraception
- The menopause and HRT
- Epilepsy and Fertility
- Planning a baby
- Pregnancy - Scans and tests during pregnancy
- Giving birth - labour and delivery
- Breastfeeding
- Caring for children (a quick guide)
- Inheriting epilepsy
- How you can help Epilepsy Action
- Mothers in mind- The Pregnancy diaries
- Young people and epilepsy
- Epilepsy Action and the Information Standard
- The Epilepsies: You, Epilepsy and the NICE Guideline
- Epilepsy Action Information Reviewers (EAIRs)
- Technical editing/writing and copyright
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Epilepsy Helpline
- UK freephone 0808 800 5050
- International +44 113 210 8850
- Email: helpline@epilepsy.org.uk
- Txt msg: 07797 805 390 info
- Live online: Tuesdays and Thursdays 1230-1330 UK time






