Reproductive history, sexual behavior and use of contraception in women with epilepsy

Diet, exercise, sleep, sexual activity, and perceived stress in people with epilepsy in NE Thailand

“…Certain AEDs are associated with reductions in androgens and estrogens in both men and women which may lead to decreased sexual desire [28]. Decreased fertility is also seen in women with epilepsy [29], as well as fewer women having sexual intercourse, possibly because of social isolation from stigma and inability to attract partners [30]. It is believed that sexual dysfunction in males may be due more to hormone level reduction by enzyme-reducing AEDs, while, in females, more psychological factors may be responsible [27].…”

Contraception for Women with Epilepsy

“…National surveys of contraception use in the general population do not assess chronic disorders such as epilepsy. One crosssectional questionnaire study in an urban, academic medical center ( n = 148) queried WWE and found that only 53 % of those at risk of unplanned pregnancy used methods with typical failure rates of less than 10 % in the fi rst year of use, most often sterilization or oral contraceptives [ 23 ]. The rest relied on condoms, spermicides, natural family planning (timed intercourse), or withdrawal, alone or in combination.…”

Co-prescription of antiepileptic drugs and contraceptives

“…Moreover, women with epilepsy were poorly informed on the potential interaction between AEDs and OCs [11] and had limited knowledge of this issue [12]. In a cross-sectional questionnaire study among reproductive-age women with epilepsy presenting for routine outpatient visits to an urban, academic medical center, 50% of prior pregnancies were unplanned [13].…”