Book excerpt: Epilepsy requires careful management and monitoring through a woman’s life Epilepsy is a complex disease. The hormonal changes women experience, both day-to-day menstrual fluctuations and the longer waxes and wanings of a reproductive lifetime, make the management of epilepsy even more complicated. At some point, the well-being of a second person, a fetus, might also have to be taken into account. Epilepsy in Women provides a detailed guide to this challenge. The wide-ranging approach encompasses all aspects of a woman’s life including: Social and psychological impacts The impact in reproductive life Contraception Pregnancy Fetal health and long term developmental outcomes Lactation Menopause Each practical chapter begins and ends with a case study that demonstrates the more general challenge. The authors develop themes to provide clinical guidance based on evidence and experience. Written and edited by an international cast of experts, Epilepsy in Women provides crucial tips and recommendations for neurologists and gynecologists who need to be aware of the subtle effects of epilepsy on woman’s life.