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Women With Epilepsy: Pregnancy Outcomes and Deliveries

Women With Epilepsy: Pregnancy Outcomes and Deliveries

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Observational
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01259310
Acronym
WEPOD
Enrollment
199
Registered
2010-12-14
Start date
2010-11-30
Completion date
2015-03-31
Last updated
2016-03-07

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Epilepsy

Keywords

fertility, women, epilepsy, pregnancy, seizures, seizure frequency, ovulation, menstruation, hormones, progesterone

Brief summary

This is a three-center prospective case-control study to examine the patterns of fertility among women with epilepsy (WWE) compared to an age-matched group of women without epilepsy (WWoE).

Detailed description

This is a three-center prospective case-control study to examine the patterns of fertility among women with epilepsy (WWE) compared to an age-matched group of women without epilepsy (WWoE). The investigators will determine if pregnancy rates differ in WWE compared to WWoE. Covariates of interest include proportion of ovulatory cycles, sexual activity, and type of anti-epileptic drug (AED). The investigators will compare seizure frequency during preconception to seizure frequency during pregnancy, with analysis of covariates of interest (AED type, AED ratio-to-target concentrations, and epilepsy syndrome). The investigators will also observe interactions between seizures/epilepsy, AEDs, and sex steroid hormones during this opportune time when women are not on birth control. Patterns of seizures will be evaluated for accepted catamenial patterns with consideration of ovulatory and anovulatory cycles, AED concentrations, and epilepsy type.

Interventions

None listed

Sponsors

Brigham and Women's Hospital
CollaboratorOTHER
Northwell Health
CollaboratorOTHER
NYU Langone Health
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Observational model
CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* between ages 18 and 40 * planning pregnancy * stopped birth control or planning to stop birth control * for women with epilepsy: receiving at least one AED (lamotrigine, levetiracetam, carbamazepine, phenytoin, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, topiramate, rufinamide). If on polytherapy, AEDs cannot include lamotrigine, levetiracetam or valproate.

Exclusion criteria

* Use of hormonal therapies for contraception * demonstrated infertility with the same partner (more than 12 months of unprotected intercourse without achieving pregnancy) * diagnosis of infertility * Polycystic ovarian syndrome * severe endometriosis * currently breastfeeding * male factor infertility * surgical or medical menopause * smokers who have more than 10 cigarettes per day * untreated thyroid disease * hyperprolactinemia or other pituitary disease * recently trying to achieve pregnancy for more than 6 months with having regular vaginal sexual intercourse without contraception

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Fertility in women with epilepsy compared to healthy controls1.75 yearsPercentage of women who have a live birth within the time frame.

Secondary

MeasureTime frame
Seizure frequency in women with epilepsy at baseline compared to during pregnancy1.75 years

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026