Can you have a healthy baby if you have epilepsy?
Fortunately, most women with epilepsy give birth to normal, healthy babies. If you take precautions, your chance of having a healthy child is greater than 90%. There are increased risks. But working closely with your doctor can help minimize those risks.
Can a woman with epilepsy have a baby?
Well, it’s time for the truth: Even though epilepsy can make pregnancy a bit more complicated, most women with epilepsy have safe pregnancies and healthy babies.
Does epilepsy cause high risk pregnancy?
While most women with epilepsy will have uncomplicated pregnancies, they are at increased risk for a range of perinatal complications compared with the general population, including preeclampsia, hemorrhage, fetal growth restriction, stillbirth, and maternal mortality [1-4].
Can you have a natural birth with epilepsy?
Most women with epilepsy will have a vaginal delivery, without complications. If you are considered to be at risk of having seizures during delivery or the following 24 hours, you will be advised to give birth in a consultant-led maternity unit.
Does epilepsy cause infertility?
The study found that women with epilepsy are more than twice as likely to be infertile than women without the condition. And women who take three or more anti-seizure medications are 18 times more likely to be infertile than women who don’t take any epilepsy drugs.
Does epilepsy medication affect fertility?
Does epilepsy go away?
While many forms of epilepsy require lifelong treatment to control the seizures, for some people the seizures eventually go away. The odds of becoming seizure-free are not as good for adults or for children with severe epilepsy syndromes, but it is possible that seizures may decrease or even stop over time.
Can women with epilepsy have a baby if they have epilepsy?
Women who have epilepsy might be able to use the same methods of pain relief during labor and delivery as other pregnant women. Seizures don’t commonly occur during labor. If you have a seizure during labor, it might be stopped with intravenous medication. If the seizure is prolonged, your health care provider might deliver the baby by C-section.
What is the prognosis for people with epilepsy?
Some people with epilepsy have only a couple of seizures in a lifetime, whereas others may have multiple seizures every day. Overall, though, the outlook is bright. Epilepsy most commonly develops during childhood, but can start at any age.
Is it possible to outgrow epilepsy?
Maybe it is possible to “outgrow” epilepsy if your brain can somehow figure out how to function without (what I call) misfiring, but maybe it is more likely that you have to teach your brain to function under certain circumstances without temporarily shutting down.
Can I get pregnant if I’ve never had a seizure before?
If you haven’t had a seizure for nine months before you conceive, you’re less likely to have a seizure during your pregnancy. If you haven’t had a seizure for two to four years, you might be able to taper off medications before you conceive and see if you remain seizure-free.