The place of side effects of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) on reproductive health in the classifications of drug side effects is determined, their frequency was investigated in a cohort of 155 women of reproductive age with epilepsy observed in a specialized Department of Epilepsy in the Institute of Human Brain. Patients were divided into 3 groups: Group 1 received monotherapy with AEDs, Group 2 - polytherapy with AEDs, Group 3 did not receive AEDs. Main characteristics of epilepsy were not significant different between groups, except predominance of very frequent seizures in the polytherapy group. It is established that reproductive health disorders are common side effects of AEDs in women with epilepsy. In total cohort, the frequency of side effects was 40%. Reproductive endocrine disorders were statistically more frequent in the AED groups compared with the control group. AED polytherapy of epilepsy in women increases the incidence of reproductive disorders (58.5% compared with 10% in the control group).

Keywords: antiepileptic drugs, reproductive health, epilepsy, side effects, women