--- title: Do women with epilepsy have different hormone patterns or menstrual-related seizures? description: Yes. Women with epilepsy had lower levels of certain reproductive hormones compared to healthy women, and about 31% had seizures that relate to their menstrua url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/reproductive-hormonal-changes-and-catamenial-pattern-in-adolescent-females-with-2008/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do women with epilepsy have different hormone patterns or menstrual-related seizures? Survey study, 2008 # Do women with epilepsy have different hormone patterns or menstrual-related seizures? Yes. Women with epilepsy had lower levels of certain reproductive hormones compared to healthy women, and about 31% had seizures that relate to their menstrual cycle. Moderate study design 42 women with epilepsy and 21 healthy women, all with regular menstrual cycles ## What they did Researchers compared 42 women with epilepsy to 21 healthy women, all with regular periods. They measured reproductive hormone levels (FSH, LH, estradiol, and progesterone) at different points in the menstrual cycle and tracked which women had seizures related to their period. ## What they found Women with epilepsy had lower levels of FSH and progesterone in certain phases of the cycle and higher ratios of estradiol to progesterone compared to healthy women. Symptoms of PMS were not different between the two groups. A total of 31% of women with epilepsy had seizures that linked to their menstrual cycle, and these women had lower progesterone levels during specific cycle phases. Of those 31%, 53.8% showed one seizure pattern and 46.15% showed another. ## What it means for you Women with epilepsy have different reproductive hormone patterns, and some experience seizures that link to their menstrual cycle through progesterone changes. This helps explain why seizures might worsen around the period. The main limit is this was a small study of 42 women with epilepsy and 21 controls, so results might not apply to all women with epilepsy. 31% had seizures related to their menstrual cycle 42 women with epilepsy studied 21 healthy women for comparison ## About the study Original title Reproductive hormonal changes and catamenial pattern in adolescent females with epilepsy Authors El-Khayat HA, Soliman NA, Tomoum HY et al. Journal Epilepsia Year 2008 Study design Survey study Participants 42 What was tested None; this is a comparison study of natural hormone and seizure patterns Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.1528-1167.2008.01622.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1528-1167.2008.01622.x) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Epilepsy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-epilepsy/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Systematic review, 2025 Does alcohol use affect menstrual health in teenage girls? Systematic review, 2024 How common is premenstrual syndrome in Africa, and what factors increase the risk? Systematic review, 2020 How common is PMS among women of reproductive age in Ethiopia? Survey study, 2026 Are menstrual characteristics linked to depression and anxiety in teenage girls? Non-randomised trial, 2026 Does video-guided digital menstrual exercise reduce PMS and period pain in adolescent girls? Study, 2026 What coping strategies help women manage PMS symptoms? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗