http://www.epilepsy.com/information/women/all-women/hormones-and-epilepsy
What are hormones?
Hormones are chemical substances formed in organs and glands that travel through the body via the bloodstream. They control and coordinate many body functions such as muscle growth, heart rate, hunger and menstrual cycle. Steroid hormones include the three major sex hormone groups: estrogens, androgens, and progestogens. All three are present in both men and women, but in different amounts.
Is there a connection between seizures and hormones?
Yes, sex hormones can influence the excitability of nerve cells in the brain and
thus influence seizure control. Estrogen can excite brain cells and can make seizures more likely to happen. In contrast, natural progesterone breaks down into a substance that can inhibit or prevent seizures in some women.
Are all seizures caused by hormone changes?
Hormones generally do not cause seizures but can influence if or when their happen. Some women with epilepsy experience changes in their seizure patterns at times of hormonal fluctuations. For example, puberty is a time when hormones are stimulating body changes. It is not unusual for certain kinds of seizures to disappear at puberty, while other seizure disorders may start at this time.
Many women with epilepsy see changes in the number or the pattern of their seizures around the time of ovulation (mid-cycle), or just before and at the beginning of their menstrual periods.
Changes in seizure frequency in relation to the menstrual cycle is called
"catamenial epilepsy."