Epilepsy is a neurological condition during which there is an abnormal brain activity. This results in seizures or unusual behavior like sensations and loss of awareness. The symptoms of this disorder can vary from patient to patient. Some people twitch their legs or arms repeatedly, while others stare blankly for a couple of seconds. It is important to note that having a single seizure doesn’t necessarily mean that you have epilepsy. For an epilepsy diagnosis, you need to have at least two unprovoked seizures.

For the majority of people with this disorder, medications or surgery is enough for controlling seizures. Some people need lifelong treatment, while for some others, the seizures go away over time. In the case of children with epilepsy, they might outgrow the disorder with age.

Genetics and Epilepsy
When it comes to epilepsy, genetics play an important part. They determine the threshold of the seizure. For example:

● If one of the parents suffers from idiopathic epilepsy, there are 9 to 12% chances of the baby being born with epilepsy.
● If one of the children has epilepsy, it is highly unlikely that their siblings will have a higher risk of developing epilepsy.
● Baby born of a mother with epilepsy has a higher risk of developing epilepsy than a baby born of a father with epilepsy.

Genetic disorders can result in epilepsy syndrome or a syndrome that has a number of effects on the functions and organs of the body, including epilepsy. However, the inheritance of epilepsy is complicated. Two children who have mutations on different genes can have the same epilepsy syndrome. Two members of the family can have epilepsy from the same gene mutation, but the effects may be very different. In some cases of epilepsy syndromes, it is known that they have a genetic basis. But, the specific genes responsible for the syndrome have not been identified. Also, some genetic conditions are developed spontaneously through new mutations.

Risks associated with seizures
When a woman is pregnant, having

seizures can affect the child and the mother. The seizure type will depend on the extent of risks:

● Generalized seizures have more risk than focal seizures.
● Seizures can lead to burns, falls, miscarriages increased risk of premature labor, and lowered heart rate of the fetus.
● It is important to keep a seizure under control during pregnancy. There are a number of factors that can trigger seizures. For example, stress, hormonal changes, decreasing blood levels because of antiepileptic medications, water & sodium retention.

Risks associated with seizure medications
● Taking antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy puts the baby at risk of developing birth defects or congenital malformation. Safe Medication is available and patient should be put on those drugs.
● When a higher dose of medication or more than one type of medication is used, the risk to the baby is greater.
● The most common defects include cleft palate and cleft lip. Other defects include urogenital and cardiac defects.

Lowering the risk for the baby through medications
Here are some things that can be done for lowering the risk in the baby:

● If women take folate early in the first trimester, before the neural tube closure, the risks of major birth defects will be decreased. If you are planning to get pregnant, you should start taking folate daily, as most women don’t find out about the pregnancy until after the neural tube closure.
● You should try taking a multivitamin with minerals like zinc and selenium.
● Women who are taking enzyme-inducing AEDs should be given Vitamin K in the last month of pregnancy. This helps in preventing rare bleeding complications in the infant.

This is what you can do
There are some strategies that you can implement for lessening the risks of epilepsy:

● Get correct information regarding epilepsy before and during the pregnancy.
● In case of a planned pregnancy, talk to a neurologist regarding the medications. It is recommended that you take the lowest possible dose of medications for seizures.
● Throughout the pregnancy, the levels of antiepileptic drugs should be checked. The levels can decline during pregnancy, so some dosage adjustments might be required. For minimizing side effects in the post-partum period, the mother should be monitored.
● Make sure that you follow through regular doctor appointments.
● Take the prescribed medications regularly. It is very important that you get adequate sleep and rest.
● You have to take a diet with complete nutrition. This is required for making adequate weight gain. Also, take additional folate and multivitamin prior, during, and after the pregnancy.
● Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and cigarettes during pregnancy. This is applicable for all women, whether or not they have epilepsy.
● One of the consequences of epilepsy has the effect it has on the fertility of the person. Also, it will have some outcomes on the health of the baby and the mother. You should have a detailed knowledge of these consequences. For all the information, consult an epilepsy specialist.
● The mother’s breast milk will contain AEDs. Still, breastfeeding is encouraged. It is a safe procedure as the baby has already been exposed to these drugs and the absolute amount is low.