Women also suffer from epilepsy

Medical College Hospital, Chennai, the special outpatient department for epilepsy patients is always crowded. First timers. There are many different types of patients who come for re-examination after already seeing a doctor, those who take pills continuously for months and years, those who cannot come directly and buy pills through their parents or relatives. 200 to 250 epileptic patients visit daily. Count on Mondays; 300 over. More than 50 percent of them are women. 

What does the study say?In all government hospitals, be it medical colleges, district head hospitals or primary health centers in villages. All epilepsy tests and epilepsy drugs are provided free of charge. Mostly in all government hospitals only three types of anticonvulsants are given namely Phenytoin, Carbamazepine and Sodium valproate. During post-graduate training in neurology, we sought to conduct studies on two topics: ‘Marriage and Epilepsy’, to what extent epilepsy is controlled in patients with these pills. It was also studied whether women with epilepsy told their future husband or husband’s parents or their relatives about their illness before marriage and what obstacles they faced. At the end of the first study, it was found that 80 to 85 percent of people with epilepsy are under control by taking the above mentioned three pills (alone or together) in government hospitals and can easily cure or control epilepsy. It is also an undeniable fact that the result of this study was to remove the fear and doubt of some people towards government hospitals and government doctors. The results of the second study were unexpected. Because most women get married hiding their epilepsy. Some women said that after marriage, they used to take epilepsy pills without the knowledge of their husband or husband’s parents, some women revealed their illness only after a mutual love between husband and wife, and when they suddenly had a seizure, they revealed that they had a seizure for the first time. Women who got married claiming that they had epilepsy said that it was a big deal that they got married. Most of the grooms also mentioned that they rejected them. The results of this study revealed that even though other expectations like beauty, knowledge, property, personal ties and prestige were fulfilled, the gift was not as expected. In this 21st century.

Seizures are treatable!Epilepsy is also curable. It is not a communicable disease! Epileptic women can marry like other women; Can get married; Can have a baby; The age-old superstitions about epilepsy can be eradicated only if doctors, media, and people are made aware of the possibility of breastfeeding. Although the approach to epilepsy is the same for men and women, women require extra attention. Seizures can occur due to chemical changes in women’s bodies caused by hormones in many stages such as menstruation, childbirth, childbirth, breastfeeding and child rearing. Generally, two hormones are important for women. The first is estrogen. The second is progesterone. Estrogen in this has the property of increasing the spasm. Progesterone can control seizures. The hormone secreted from the hypothalamus in the brain stimulates the pituitary gland, which is the chief secretary of the glands, to secrete two hormones called FSH and LH. Both of these hormones travel to the female genitalia and cause the secretion of estrogen and progesterone hormones respectively.

During menstruation…Of the 28 days of a woman’s period, the first 14 days are high in the estrogen hormone and the second 14 days are high in the progesterone hormone. For menstrual cramps; The name is catamenial epilepsy. This type of seizure can occur at the time of menstruation or three days before it or three days after the end of menstruation (Peri menstrual seizures). Generally, counting from the first day of menstruation, after 14 days, the ovum is released from the vagina and this is called ovulation. Hormonal fluctuations can also cause seizures during these days. Let’s call this as Peri ovulatory seizures. If women note in a diary which days they have seizures.

Can we get married?This is an important question in the minds of everyone in the society, especially men. Of course you can get married. Epilepsy is curable like any other disease. Intractable epilepsy is a very small percentage. It can also be brought under control with appropriate pills. However, epilepsy can also occur in people with congenital brain retardation. People who are like that have low intelligence. The thought of getting their children married even if their children have less brain development and epilepsy is definitely in the mind of every parent. The answer lies with the brain neurologist. After examining the intelligence of the women and knowing whether they have enough brain development and brain function to support a family and after the doctor’s approval; What parents think about getting married; good Thus, except women with cerebral palsy, all other epileptic women are not barred from marrying.

Can we get married? Can we marry women with epilepsy? Definitely get involved. Epilepsy has nothing to do with marital relations and is not a contagious disease. So men don’t need to think that epilepsy will come to them too.

What are the complications of childbirth?Women with epilepsy should continue taking their seizure pills after conception. The fear that something will happen to the baby due to the pill is a doubt that appears in everyone’s mind. Abruptly reducing or stopping anticonvulsants during labor is more likely to cause seizures, which can reduce blood flow and oxygen from the mother’s umbilical cord to the baby, potentially endangering the baby’s life. So it is best for women to protect themselves from convulsions during childbirth without thinking too much about the side effects of the pills. A few drugs, especially valproate and phenobarbitone, are used to reduce seizures if taken in high doses. Scientific studies say that they influence the development of the infant’s organ. Doctors often do not prescribe these drugs to pregnant women. If there is a compulsion to take only these medicines, you can reduce the dose of these medicines and add other anticonvulsants as per the doctor’s advice. A baby’s vital organs are formed in the first trimester of pregnancy. Therefore, it is advisable for women with epilepsy to visit their nearest neurologist immediately after conception to get their anticonvulsant medication adjusted. Due to weight gain, increased water content, and changes in hormones and proteins in the body during pregnancy, there is a slight change in the pharmacokinetics of anticonvulsant drugs.

Natural delivery or caesarean section? Not all women with epilepsy have to have a caesarean section. This can be decided only at the time of delivery. Considering the health of the mother, the development of the baby, any other disturbances in the body, the nature of epilepsy etc., it can be clearly said whether it is a normal delivery or a caesarean delivery depending on the decision of the obstetrician, neurologist, anesthetist all at that time. 

Can you breastfeed?Compulsory to give. of breastfed mothers with epilepsy; Studies show that children of non-breastfeeding mothers with epilepsy have higher cognitive and performance outcomes. Therefore, it is best to give up the fear of spreading epilepsy to the baby through breastfeeding or the thoughts that the baby will be harmed through breastfeeding due to the seizure pills she is taking and breastfeed the baby with complete joy.