The fears that once haunted mothers-to-be with epilepsy – that their baby would be harmed, that they themselves might not survive – are now fading, thanks to advances in diagnosis and treatment.
"Women with epilepsy can now safely carry a pregnancy to term. During pregnancy, they have fewer seizures, their children are born healthier, and rates of disability and mortality have also declined," Chen Lei, chief physician and professor in the department of neurology at West China Hospital of Sichuan University, said at a press conference on Friday.