At various stages in their life cycle, women with epilepsy have different needs from men and need a more female-orientated service. However, services for people with epilepsy remain androcentric and largely ignore that 50% of the recipients of epilepsy care in the United Kingdom are female. Indeed, 40% of those women engaged with epilepsy services

There are unique challenges to the care of women with epilepsy, including the gender-specific influences that women may experience owing to their age, hormonal status, and co-morbidities. Pregnancy is also a very important time for many women with epilepsy. This textbook is a portable, essential guide to the practical management of women with epilepsy. Busy clinicians can access a wealth of information summarized in a succinct and easily accessible format. Experts from around the world have reviewed and synthesized the available data from studies in hormones in epilepsy, pregnancy registries, and many aspects of the care of women with epilepsy from adolescence, through pregnancy, to menopause. Of interest to all who care for women with epilepsy, including neurologists, internists, obstetricians, anesthetists, primary care practitioners, nurses, and lactation consultants.

Although epilepsy is one of the nation's most common neurological disorders, public understanding of it is limited. Many people do not know the causes of epilepsy or what they should do if they see someone having a seizure. Epilepsy is a complex spectrum of disorders that affects an estimated 2.2 million Americans in a variety of ways, and is characterized by unpredictable seizures that differ in type, cause, and severity. Yet living with epilepsy is about much more than just seizures; the disorder is often defined in practical terms, such as challenges in school, uncertainties about social situations and employment, limitations on driving, and questions about independent living. The Institute of Medicine was asked to examine the public health dimensions of the epilepsies, focusing on public health surveillance and data collection; population and public health research; health policy, health care, and human services; and education for people with the disorder and their families, health care providers, and the public. In Epilepsy Across the Spectrum, the IOM makes recommendations ranging from the expansion of collaborative epilepsy surveillance efforts, to the coordination of public awareness efforts, to the engagement of people with epilepsy and their families in education, dissemination, and advocacy for improved care and services. Taking action across multiple dimensions will improve the lives of people with epilepsy and their families. The realistic, feasible, and action-oriented recommendations in this report can help enable short- and long-term improvements for people with epilepsy. For all epilepsy organizations and advocates, local, state, and federal agencies, researchers, health care professionals, people with epilepsy, as well as the public, Epilepsy Across the Spectrum is an essential resource.

Epilepsy in pregnancy poses a serious threat to the mother and to her developing child. Even in previously well-controlled epilepsy, physiological changes in the mother during pregnancy and also during labour and delivery can alter the pharmacokinetic drug (AED) therapy causing increased seizure frequency.

Approximately 2.5 million people in the U.S. suffer from epilepsy; of these, more than one million are women of child-bearing age. With concerns about everything from medication-related birth defects to falls during seizures, many of these women are fearful of having children. The good news is that, with proper prenatal care, more than 90% will deliver healthy babies. Epilepsy and Pregnancy gives readers the basic facts they need to help them make medical decisions throughout preconception, pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the early days after childbirth. Topics include preconception, fertility, pregnancy risks, risks to the fetus, nutrition, keeping fit, what to expect during pregnancy, fetal development, and labor and delivery. In addition, the book includes guidelines for the use of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy, recommendations and questions to ask their neurologist, recommended daily allowances by age group, glossary, and much more. Epilepsy and Pregnancy is an essential guide for any woman who suffers from epilepsy and desires to have a child.

Roughly 3 million people in the United States have already been diagnosed with epilepsy and another 200,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Worldwide, approximately 1 percent of the global population is diagnosed with epilepsy at some point in their lives. With the diagnosis come questions, concerns, and uncertainties from both the person diagnosed and their family. So, where to go? Navigating Life with Epilepsy provides accessible, comprehensive, and up-to-date information about epilepsy shared from the two decades of experience of epileptologist David Spencer, MD, FAAN. This book guides the reader through the initial diagnosis, offers explanations on current approaches to diagnostic testing, medications, treatment options, and life management for the patient, their family, and their caregiver. Patient's stories are peppered throughout to illustrate that you are not alone: like you, they must navigate the myriad psychosocial challenges associated with epilepsy, including everyday concerns like driving, work, and relationships. Navigating Life with Epilepsy is a perfect resource for both patients with epilepsy and the family members and friends who care for them.

Part of the Oxford Textbooks in Clinical Neurology (OTCN) series, this volume covers the scientific basis, clinical diagnosis, and treatment of epilepsy and epileptic seizures, and is complemented by an online edition.