Epilepsy, traditionally the Cinderella of medicine, now has a higher profile thanks to the efforts of the World Health Organisation who have led a campaign called Out of the Shadows, to make the public more aware of the condition. In particular, there has been much more awareness of the plight of women with epilepsy and their reproductive health, especially the problem of certain anti-convulsant medications and their effects on the unborn child. This new edition strengthens the focus on women and gives a strong update on drugs and surgery, a sometimes neglected but modern approach which may actually cure epilepsy.