Epilepsy's woes unique for women

NEW YORK Although more than 1 million women in the United Stateshave epilepsy, a lack of understanding of the brain disorder'seffects on women often makes adequate health care elusive.

"Women's victimization and how they're uniquely affected by thischronic condition have been largely ignored," said Patricia Shafer,an epilepsy nurse specialist at Boston's Beth Israel DeaconessHospital.

Epilepsy, a generic term for a number of neurologic disordersmarked by seizures, is equally common among men, but women areuniquely vulnerable to complications, according to the foundation.Seizures and women's reproductive health affect each other, saidDr. Martha Morrell of …