Why do women with epilepsy often have more reproductive disorders than women without seizures?
Women with seizures that start in the temporal lobes of the brain seem more likely to have reproductive disorders such as polycystic ovaries, early menopause, and irregular (or no) ovulation, than women in the general population. The temporal lobes are closely connected to, and communicate with, areas of the brain that regulate hormones (hypothalamus and pituitary gland.) Seizures in these areas may alter the normal production of hormones. Certain epilepsy medications seem to interfere with hormone regulation.
