Pregnancy and Stress: Thinking Beyond Seizure Control in Women With Epilepsy

Stress is an established seizure precipitant. Patients commonly report that stress can trigger their seizures, and prospective diary studies have demonstrated that seizures are more likely to occur during times of higher self-reported stress.1,2 Unfortunately, stress is a vague term. Certain stressors are ubiquitous, a part of everyday life, whereas others are more significant. Most studies exploring the relationship between stress and seizures do not provide insight into the nature or severity of the stressor. The exception is those examining seizure control during unprecedented crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks, during which many patients reported increased seizure frequency.2-4