Epilepsy and pregnancy

People’s worries about epilepsy and pregnancy generally outweigh the risks, because nowadays having epilepsy is rarely a reason not to have children of your own. It is, however, important to discuss having a baby with your neurologist and midwife well in advance – if possible two years before a planned pregnancy.

Important note: The information flyer still recommends taking 4-5 mg of folic acid daily. The Epilepsy League now recommends a dose of 0.4-0.8 mg per day. Higher doses can be considered on an individual basis, depending on the mother's folate blood level or ethrocyte test results. This could be the case for expectant mothers who are on powerful enzyme-inducing medicines.