Maintaining Seizure Stability During Pregnancy
Research shows that for people with epilepsy who receive proper care and monitoring, seizures are no more likely to increase during pregnancy than at any other time. Maintaining seizure stability is crucial for a healthy pregnancy and delivery. Most people with epilepsy do not experience changes in their seizure frequency while they’re pregnant.
The Maternal Outcomes and Neurodevelopmental Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs (MONEAD) study
The Maternal Outcomes and Neurodevelopmental Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs (MONEAD) study shows that patients receiving appropriate epilepsy care are no more likely to have an increase in seizure rates while they are pregnant than those who are not pregnant.
Common Questions About Seizure Stability & Pregnancy
Consult With Your Doctor
We understand that the idea of having seizures while you’re pregnant is scary. But if you work closely with your epilepsy and pregnancy care providers, you should be able to maintain the same level of seizure stability during your pregnancy as you had before you got pregnant.
Consult with your epilepsy care team about concerns related to seizure control during your pregnancy. Download our Pregnancy and Delivery With Epilepsy - Questions to Ask Your Doctors, and bring a copy to your appointments to help guide your conversations and get the answers you need.
Use our Epilepsy and Pregnancy Appointment Calendar to track your doctor appointments, key milestones, and upcoming activities all in one place.
You can also use the Epilepsy Foundation Seizure Diary to track your seizures and share the information with your doctor.
Educating yourself on everything involved with making the right decisions before you try to get pregnant can make controlling your seizures during pregnancy much easier, less stressful, and safer for you and your baby.
Reviewed by: Page Pennell, MD FAES, September 2023