Menstrual Disturbances and Epilepsy
By: Aaliyah Ellison-McPeters What are Menstrual Disturbances Generally? Menstrual disturbances or disorders are any ailments that affect a woman’s typically normal menstrual cycle. Studies show that the potential causes for these abnormalities are frequent seizures and the use of anti-epileptic drugs; there is also a type of disorder called catamenial epilepsy that induces seizures around […]
Pregnancy, Postpartum Complications, and the Importance of Advocacy
By: Aaliyah Ellison-McPeters Pregnancy Complications While expecting mothers who have epilepsy have several concerns during pregnancy, most of these mothers will have healthy babies, and pregnancy will not drastically affect their epilepsy. Common pregnancy complications that women with epilepsy face include slowed fetal heart rate, decreased oxygen to the fetus, preterm labor and birth, and […]
Caring for a Newborn From a Doula’s Perspective
By: Aaliyah Ellison-McPeters Prioritizing Maternal Mental Health It’s impossible to pour from an empty cup. A new baby can often bring a wave of new emotions for a mother, even experienced mothers. Some emotions range from bliss to anxiety, and while pregnancy can be a time of only joy and excitement, many women have different […]
Birth Control and Epilepsy
By: Aaliyah Ellison-McPeters What is Birth Control? Birth control, also referred to as contraception or family planning, is devices, medicines, or surgeries that prevent pregnancy. Various methods have different techniques to avoid conception, such as preventing sperm cells from reaching egg cells, damaging sperm, preventing ovulation, and more. A few standard methods include barriers: male […]
The Benefits of Having a Doula During Pregnancy
By: Aaliyah Ellison-McPeters What is a Doula? A doula is a non-clinical professional birth and postpartum assistant who provides emotional stability and support to pregnant mothers and their families during their respective pregnancies, labors, and the fourth trimester. Doula appointments typically involve prenatal visits, labor and delivery, and a post-birth follow-up. Services a doula may […]
Medication Side Effects and Sexual Health
By: Aaliyah Ellison-McPeters Side Effects of AEDs Antiepileptic drugs, or AEDs, are frequently used to help control seizures caused by epilepsy and operate by altering the levels of chemicals in the brain. AEDs are the most common treatment for epilepsy. Since it is challenging to develop drugs that target solely one part of the body, […]
Postpartum Care for Mothers with Epilepsy
By: Aaliyah Ellison-McPeters Postpartum Care for the Epileptic Mother For epileptic women, the postpartum period is a vulnerable time with alterations to AEDs, sleep deprivation, increased stress, and possible challenges with breastfeeding. Postpartum for an epileptic woman can be a high-risk time, which isn’t as addressed. When adjustments in anti-epileptic drugs occur in postpartum mothers, […]
Planning Pregnancy and Epilepsy
By: Natalie L. Boehm, MBA, RBLP-T Pregnancy and Epilepsy Making the decision to start a family is a big decision for anyone. For women who are battling epilepsy, it is even a bigger decision. Many things need to be taken into consideration. Seizure activity, medication side effects, and pregnancy symptoms are just a few examples […]
Sexual Health and Epilepsy
By: Natalie L. Boehm, MBA, RBLP-T What is sexual health? How does it affect people with epilepsy? According to the World Health Organization, sexual health is defined as “a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction, or infirmity. Sexual health requires […]