Question
During pregnancy, a hospital checkup revealed that the fetus might have epilepsy due to brain development issues. However, neither partner has the condition, but the woman’s father has epilepsy. Is epilepsy a genetic disease?
Answer
Epilepsy can be influenced by genetics in rare cases, and the impact is generally small for most patients. The degree of influence mainly depends on the cause. The risk for relatives of primary epilepsy patients is about 3% to 4%, while for secondary epilepsy patients, it is 0 to 1%, indicating a greater genetic influence in primary epilepsy, with a higher incidence among closer family members. Epilepsy patients can marry, but it is advisable to consider childbearing only after the condition is fully controlled and medication has been stopped for at least six months. Epilepsy, also known as “grand mal seizures,” due to its complex causes, is currently mostly managed with Western medicine. There are many treatment options, but a cure is elusive, leading many patients to seek help in vain and lose hope for effective treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine offers unique benefits in treating epilepsy with herbal remedies that are effective and reliable. Many patients are cured and do not relapse.