Women with Epilepsy
A Handbook of Health and Treatment Issues

Published in association with the Epilepsy Foundation of America, this handbook reviews the special problems faced by women with epilepsy.

Martha J. Morrell (Edited by), Kerry L. Flynn (Edited by)

9780521655415, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 20 March 2003

310 pages, 9 b/w illus. 12 tables
24.7 x 17.6 x 1.7 cm, 0.643 kg

'The fantasy of conjuring up experts to answer vexing conundrums in medicine is made real in this tidy little paperback. This could well have been titled Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Epilepsy … But Were Afraid to Ask.' Psychiatry

In this handbook for sufferers, their clinicians, families and friends, Martha Morrell assembles a team of experts to review the special problems faced by women with epilepsy. In many ways epilepsy is a different disease in women than in men, given the biological and gender differences between the two. Epilepsy treatments affect fertility, and can cause pregnancy complications and birth defects, but most of the available drugs have been tested on men. Moreover, hormone effects on seizures are of particular concern to women at puberty, at menopause, and over the menstrual cycle. Many health-care providers are not informed about the unique issues facing women with epilepsy. This book, published in association with the Epilepsy Foundation of America, fills that gap and provides women with epilepsy with the information they need to be effective self-advocates.

Part I. The Woman with Epilepsy: 1. Introduction Martha J. Morrell
2. Being a woman with epilepsy Lisa Lindahl
3. The woman with epilepsy: a historical perspective Orrin Devinsky
4. Quality of life issues for women with epilepsy Joyce A. Cramer
Part II. Epilepsy Diagnosis and Treatment: 5. The genetics of epilepsy Melodie R. Winawer and Ruth Ottman
6. Antiepileptic drugs and other treatments for epilepsy Jacqueline A. French
7. Epilepsy in children and adolescents Patricia Crumine
8. Non-epileptic seizures Steven C. Schacter
Part III. Hormones and the Brain: 9. Brian differences between men and women Paula Shear
10. Sex hormones and how they act on the brain Philip A. Schwartzkroin
11. Epilepsy and the menstrual cycle Patricia O. Shafer and Andrew D. Herzog
12. Menopause and epilepsy Fariha Abbasi and Allan Krumholz
Part IV. Health Challenges for Women with Epilepsy: 13. Reproductive health Martha J. Morrell
14. Sexual dysfunction in epilepsy Martha J. Morrell
15. Bone health in women with epilepsy Robert Marcus
16. Psychiatric complications in epilepsy Laura Marsh
Part V. Family Planning, Pregnancy and Parenting: 17. Family planning and contraceptive choice Pamela Crawford
18. Obstetrical health and risk of birth defects Mark Yerby, Aline Derdiarian and Yasser Y. El-Sayed
19. Neurocognitive outcome in children of mothers with epilepsy Kimford J. Meador
20. Parents with epilepsy Mimi Callanan
Part VI. Living Well with Epilepsy: 21. The impact of epilepsy on relationships Patricia Gibson
22. Parenting the daughter with epilepsy Joan Kessner Austin and Janet Austin Tooze
23. Safety issues for women with epilepsy Jeanne Carpenter
24. Work issues Jim Troxell
Appendix: the Epilepsy Foundation's Campaign for Women's Health Elizabeth A. Borda
Index.

Subject Areas: Women's health [VFDW], Psychiatry [MMH]