By | Published: 12:05 am

Hyderabad: The effects of epilepsy in men and women are different and studies have found that there are 2.73 million women who suffer from epilepsy in India, said health care professionals participating in a round table discussion on epilepsy here on Friday.

The senior doctors said that 52 per cent of women with epilepsy are in the reproductive age group of 15 and 49. Other than the medical condition, women with epilepsy experience many gender-related and social problems which leads to low self-esteem.

Arranged marriages and motherhood becomes a challenge for women with epilepsy in India due to the misconceptions attached to the condition. There is a misconception that women have difficulties conceiving, having healthy babies, raising children and that epilepsy worsens during pregnancy, while majority of WWE have a normal pregnancy and delivery, an unchanged seizure frequency and around 93 per cent chance of a healthy baby, said Neurologist, KIMS, Dr. Sita Jayalakshmi in a press release.

Regional Medical Director, Abbott Pharmaceuticals India, Dr. Balagopal Nair and Paediatric Neurologist, Rainbow Hospitals, Dr. K. Ramesh were present.