ABSTRACT

Epilepsy is dened as the condition, or more accurately set of conditions, in which individuals have a tendency to recurrent, usually unprovoked epileptic seizures. It is the most common chronic neurological disorder and affects 4-10 of every 1000 people in the developed world. Women of childbearing age account for 25% of people with epilepsy, and three to four pregnancies in every thousand occur to women with epilepsy.1 The principles of managing epilepsy are similar for men and women, with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) the mainstay of treatment. However, epilepsy and the use of AEDs, in particular, have special implications for women of childbearing age.