Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria.
S Afr Fam Pract (2004). 2024 Aug 16;66(1):e1-e9. doi: 10.4102/safp.v66i1.5937.
Understanding the intersection of epilepsy and pregnancy, including knowledge gaps and healthcare access for women with epilepsy (WWE), is critical. This study evaluated WWE knowledge gaps and information needs concerning epilepsy's impact on their sexual and reproductive health during pregnancy and examined healthcare system factors affecting their access to information, aiming to identify areas for improvement in educational and healthcare strategies to enhance health management for WWE.
From July 2022 to June 2023, 111 WWE aged 18 to 40 years were recruited from the family medicine and internal medicine outpatient departments at Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Tembisa Tertiary Hospital (TTH), and Kalafong Hospital. Interviews assessed various aspects related to epilepsy in pregnancy and contraceptive use.
The study found strong links between WWE, their demographics, and their awareness of pregnancy-related epilepsy issues. Participants from TTH showed notably higher awareness (85.5%) of risks from epilepsy and AED during pregnancy (p 0.05). Age and education significantly influenced pregnancy planning and understanding of medication risks. Younger women (20-25 years) were more inclined towards future pregnancies, and those with more education were better informed about medication risks (p 0.05); and 68.5% had received counselling on AED and contraceptive interactions, yet only 16.2% knew AED could reduce contraceptive effectiveness.
The study reveals significant knowledge gaps in WWE regarding the impact of epilepsy and AED on pregnancy, suggesting tailored educational and counselling initiatives to improve WWE health outcomes and quality of life, advancing chronic disease management and public health objectives.Contribution: The study highlights substantial knowledge gaps in epilepsy during pregnancy among WWE, urging tailored counselling and information to empower informed decisions.
了解癫痫与妊娠的交集，包括癫痫女性（WWE）的知识空白和医疗保健获取情况，至关重要。本研究评估了 WWE 关于癫痫对其妊娠期间性与生殖健康影响的知识空白和信息需求，并考察了影响其获取信息的医疗保健系统因素，旨在确定在教育和医疗保健策略方面的改进领域，以增强 WWE 的健康管理。
2022 年 7 月至 2023 年 6 月，从史蒂夫·比科学术医院（Steve Biko Academic Hospital）、坦比萨三级医院（Tembisa Tertiary Hospital，TTH）和卡拉冯医院（Kalafong Hospital）的家庭医学和内科门诊部门招募了 111 名年龄在 18 至 40 岁的 WWE。访谈评估了与妊娠和避孕相关的癫痫各个方面。
研究发现 WWE、她们的人口统计学特征以及她们对妊娠相关癫痫问题的认识之间存在很强的联系。TTH 的参与者对癫痫和抗癫痫药物（AED）在妊娠期间的风险表现出明显更高的认识（85.5%，p<0.05）。年龄和教育程度显著影响妊娠计划和对药物风险的理解。年轻的女性（20-25 岁）更倾向于未来怀孕，而教育程度较高的女性对药物风险的了解更好（p<0.05）；68.5%的人接受过关于 AED 和避孕药相互作用的咨询，但只有 16.2%的人知道 AED 可能降低避孕药的有效性。
研究揭示了 WWE 对癫痫和 AED 对妊娠的影响存在显著的知识空白，这表明需要有针对性的教育和咨询计划，以改善 WWE 的健康结果和生活质量，推进慢性病管理和公共卫生目标。
研究突出了 WWE 对妊娠期间癫痫的认知存在重大空白，迫切需要提供有针对性的咨询和信息，以促进知情决策。
