Clomiphene therapy in epileptic women with menstrual disorders.

We studied the effects of clomiphene therapy on seizure frequency in 12 women who had clinical and EEG features of complex partial seizures as well as menstrual disorders with reproductive endocrine abnormalities. Ten of the 12 women improved (p less than 0.05); all ten developed normal cycles. The two women who did not improve continued to have irregular prolonged cycles. Average monthly seizure frequency for the entire group declined by 87% (p less than 0.01). Both complex partial and secondary generalized seizures decreased. During the investigation, one unwanted pregnancy occurred, two women developed severe abdominal pain with ultrasound-documented ovarian cysts, and three experienced breast tenderness and pelvic cramps.