Reproductive Aged Youth with Epilepsy (RAYE)

Christina Briscoe, MD, EdM

Pediatric Epileptologist, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital
Instructor of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital

In this presentation, Dr. Christina Briscoe discusses the relationships between hormonal factors and epilepsy through case examples, to support clinicians in providing appropriate counseling to all reproductive-aged youth in accordance with American Academy of Neurology guidelines. Dr. Briscoe describes the effects of puberty on epilepsy and the recognition and management of catamenial epilepsy (seizure worsening at certain phases of the menstrual cycle). This presentation was recorded at the Lennox-Lombroso Pediatric Epilepsy Conference on September 18, 2025.

Learning Objectives: 

At the conclusion of this educational program, learners will be able to:

1. Identify catamenial epilepsy as a leading cause of drug resistance in RAYE.
2. Counsel RAYE about interactions between hormones (puberty) and epilepsy.
3. Distinguish different patterns of catamenial epilepsy.
4. Develop individualized treatment strategies with adolescent or gynecology specialists.

In support of improving patient care, Boston Children’s Hospital is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Physician
Boston Children’s Hospital designates this live activity for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits ™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in this activity.

Nurse
Boston Children’s Hospital designates this activity for 0.5 contact hours for nurses. Nurses should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosures

Boston Children’s Hospital adheres to all ACCME Essential Areas, Standards, and Policies. It is Boston Children’s policy that those who have influenced the content of a CE activity (e.g. planners, faculty, authors, reviewers and others) disclose all relevant financial relationships with commercial entities so that Boston Children’s may identify and resolve any conflicts of interest prior to the activity. These disclosures will be provided in the activity materials along with disclosure of any commercial support received for the activity. Additionally, faculty members have been instructed to disclose any limitations of data and unlabeled or investigational uses of products during their presentations.

The following planners, speakers, and content reviewers, on behalf of themselves, have reported the following relevant financial relationships with any entity producing, marketing, reselling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on patients: 

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