Epilepsy and Fertility
Last checked 20/11/2008
Many 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.
November 2008
More in this section:
Epilepsy advice and information
- What is epilepsy?
- Children
- Depression
- Disability Discrimination Act (UK)
- Driving
- Education
- Employment
- Epilepsy and caring for children: a comprehensive guide
- Epilepsy in later life
- Getting a diagnosis
- Health care and welfare benefits
- Inheritance
- Learning disabilities
- Me and my dad
- Memory
- Men and Epilepsy
- Mobile phones and epilepsy
- Osteoporosis, osteomalacia and epilepsy
- Photosensitive epilepsy
- Relationships and epilepsy
- Safety
- Seizures
- Sports and leisure
- Stress and epilepsy
- Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP)
- Syndromes
- Travel abroad
- Treatment
- Women and epilepsy
- Sexual development (puberty)
- Sex life
- Your periods (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
- Epilepsy Mine
- Young people and epilepsy
- Epilepsy Action Information Reviewers (EAIRs)
- Technical editing/writing and copyright
Epilepsy Helpline
- UK freephone 0808 800 5050
- International +44 113 210 8850
- Email: helpline@epilepsy.org.uk
- Txt msg: 07797 805 390 info
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