Abstracts

Pre-conceptual counselling is of vital importance for women with epilepsy of childbearing age. Women with epilepsy require advice, education and guidance to enable them to make informed choices and guide their decision-making abilities. This in return will improve their quality of life and self -management practices. This audit identifies specific pre-conceptual women[rsquo]s issues and identifies whether women with epilepsy are receiving satisfactory pre-pregnancy counselling and leads the way for the establishment of a pre-conceptual Epilepsy and Pregnancy Clinic. This audit obtained its sample of women with epilepsy (n=150) from a weekly outpatient epilepsy clinic in a Dublin-based teaching hospital. The data was collected via questionnaires, using a random selection of women of childbearing age with epilepsy. To date, 35 questionnaires have been returned. From the returned data, 51% (18) were between 18 - 30 years, 46% (16) between 31 - 40 years, and 3% (1) between 41 [ndash] 45 years. Forty six percent (16) of the sample were single women and 37% (13) were married. Thirty percent of these women have had epilepsy for 2 [ndash] 8 years, 18% for 8 [ndash] 14 years, 30% (10) for 14 [ndash] 20 years, and 18% for 20 years and more; only 3% (1) have had epilepsy for less than 2 years (6%(2) were of unknown epilepsy duration). Fifty one percent (17) attended the neurologist every 6 months while 44% (12) attended their GP every 6 weeks. Thirty one percent (11) had previous pregnancies. Of the women who had previous pregnancies 36% (4) are planning future pregnancies, and of the women who have had no previous pregnancy 62%(15) are planning to have children. Eighty two percent (29) of the women said they were currently taking folic acid, with 65% taking a 5mg tablet. Forty five percent (16) of the women said that they were not given advice on contraception while on anti-epileptic drugs. Yet 71% (25) of women said they were currently on some form of contraception, the oral contraceptive pill (OCP) being the most common form. When asked to rate their satisfaction with pre-pregnancy advice that they received, 20% (7) were very satisfied, 23% (8) were satisfied, 14%(5) were unsatisfied, 6%(2) were very unsatisfied, and 38% (13) don[apos]t know/not applicable/didn[rsquo]t answer. The results of the audit to date identify specific pre-pregnancy issues for women with epilepsy. It identifies the overall satisfaction rate of a sample of Irish women with epilepsy of childbearing age and leads the way for the establishment of a pre-conceptual Epilepsy and Pregnancy Clinic. It recognizes neglected areas of pre-conceptual counselling and highlights existing practices which will be reinforced and add to the overall quality of care of women with epilepsy in Ireland. (Supported by a grant from Bord Altranais (Nursing Board of Ireland).)