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Contraception, pregnancy, and peripartum experiences among women with epilepsy in Bhutan.

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION:Reports on the reproductive health of women with epilepsy (WWE) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are limited. Bhutan is a lower income country with a high estimated prevalence of epilepsy and no out-of-pocket payment requirements for health visits or medications. METHODS:We developed a 10-category survey to interview WWE ages 20-59 years in the Kingdom of Bhutan to understand their contraceptive use and peripartum experiences. WWE were recruited from 2016-2017 from an existing epilepsy cohort and their reproductive health data were merged with epilepsy and socioeconomic data obtained from initial clinical evaluations performed between 2014 and 2016. RESULTS:Of the 134 WWE eligible for the study, 94 were reachable and there was 1 refusal to participate (response rate 99% among reachable WWE; 69% of all WWE in the cohort). Of the 93 WWE (median age 27 years, range 20-52), 50 (54%) reported prior pregnancies. Of the entire cohort, 55 women responded on contraception: 26 (47%) WWE had never used contraception in their lifetime. Of the 29 WWE who had ever used contraception, the most commonly reported form was male condoms (14/29, 48%), followed by depot medroxyprogesterone acetate injections (13/29, 45%), and intrauterine devices (5/29, 17%). Sixty-three percent of WWE recalled receiving information on family planning (31 of 49). Of the 50 WWE with prior pregnancies, 37 of 46 (80%) used folic acid; 6 WWE reported commencing it in the first trimester while 29 WWE began supplementation in the second trimester. Primary school education or higher was associated with folic acid supplementation during pregnancy (26/29 vs. 11/17, p=0.040). Epilepsy affected at least one of the pregnancies in 38 of the cases (76%) with an average of 2.3 pregnancies per woman). There was a total of 86 pregnancies and an average inter-pregnancy interval of 3.5 years. Ninety-five percent of women attended prenatal care (36/38), 22% had at least one miscarriage (8/37), 14% had at least one pre-term delivery (5/36), and 21% had Caesarean sections (8/38). Seventeen of 38 (45%) of WWE had seizures during pregnancy. A majority of WWE (97%, 37 of 38) with a prior pregnancy reported breastfeeding their infant. CONCLUSIONS:Nearly half of Bhutanese WWE did not use contraception; among those who used it, male condoms were most common but 11% were at risk of potential drug-drug interactions between oral contraception and enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs. Bhutanese WWE had a high rate of prenatal visits. Folic acid was prescribed in most pregnant WWE but the majority began supplementation in the second trimester. The number of pregnancies in WWE in Bhutan (2.3 per woman) was comparable to the number of children per women in Bhutan (2.3). Breastfeeding was practiced almost universally. Points of intervention may include pre-conception initiation of folic acid, optimization of dosing of AEDs with contraceptives, guidelines for peripartum seizure treatment, and establishment of a prospective registry for WWE and their offspring.

SUBMITTER: Halani S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5696018 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Contraception, pregnancy, and peripartum experiences among women with epilepsy in Bhutan.

Halani Sheliza S Tshering Lhab L Bui Esther E Clark Sarah J SJ Grundy Sara J SJ Pem Tandin T Lhamo Sonam S Dema Ugyen U Nirola Damber K DK Dorji Chencho C Mateen Farrah J FJ

Epilepsy research 20171018

<h4>Introduction</h4>Reports on the reproductive health of women with epilepsy (WWE) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are limited. Bhutan is a lower income country with a high estimated prevalence of epilepsy and no out-of-pocket payment requirements for health visits or medications.<h4>Methods</h4>We developed a 10-category survey to interview WWE ages 20-59 years in the Kingdom of Bhutan to understand their contraceptive use and peripartum experiences. WWE were recruited from 2016-2 ...[more]

PMID: 29128586

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Project description:BackgroundAs the prevalence of obesity increases and the age of onset decreases, more women of reproductive age will be living in larger bodies. Research on weight-related efficacy and safety has informed clinical guidelines for routine and emergency contraceptive use by women with a higher body mass index; however, patient perspectives are needed to understand women in larger bodies' experiences with contraception and contraceptive care. This scoping review summarizes the literature on women in larger bodies' experiences with contraception with the goal of gaining a better understanding of the nature of these experiences and identifying gaps in the existing research.MethodsFollowing Arksey and O'Malley's framework, a scoping review of the literature was conducted. Four databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, and CINAHL) were searched for peer-reviewed, empirical articles published in English between 2010 and 2020, with a focus on North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Data were summarized by identifying key themes in the reviewed literature.ResultsTwenty-nine articles meeting the eligibility criteria were reviewed. The literature was predominantly quantitative (n = 27), with only one qualitative study and one systematic review, respectively. Five themes were identified, including (1) use of contraception among women in larger bodies; (2) knowledge, attitudes towards and beliefs about contraception; (3) contraceptive (dis)satisfaction among women in larger bodies; (4) contraceptive counseling; and (5) barriers to contraception. The findings revealed that women in larger bodies may have unmet contraceptive care needs. Despite many articles addressing the need to improve contraceptive counseling for women in larger bodies (n = 26), few explored how women felt about their care (n = 2). Finally, only two articles focused on emergency contraception, indicating a need for further research.ConclusionThis scoping review emphasizes the pressing need for qualitative research to explore women in larger bodies' experiences with routine and emergency contraception, as well as receiving contraceptive counseling and care. Future research exploring the lived experiences of women in larger bodies is necessary to better characterize their contraceptive needs and identify avenues to improve patient care.

Project description:Importance:Prior studies report lower birth rates for women with epilepsy (WWE) but have been unable to differentiate between biological and social contributions. To our knowledge, we do not have data to inform WWE seeking pregnancy if their likelihood of achieving pregnancy is biologically reduced compared with their peers. Objective:To determine if WWE without a prior diagnosis of infertility or related disorders are as likely to achieve pregnancy within 12 months as their peers without epilepsy. Design, Setting, and Participants:The Women With Epilepsy: Pregnancy Outcomes and Deliveries study is an observational cohort study comparing fertility in WWE with fertility in control women (CW) without epilepsy. Participants were enrolled at 4 academic medical centers and observed up to 21 months from November 2010 to May 2015. Women seeking pregnancy aged 18 to 40 years were enrolled within 6 months of discontinuing contraception. Exclusion criteria included tobacco use and a prior diagnosis of infertility or disorders that lower fertility. Eighteen WWE and 47 CW declined the study, and 40 WWE and 170 CW did not meet study criteria. The Women With Epilepsy: Pregnancy Outcomes and Deliveries electronic diary app was used to capture data on medications, seizures, sexual activity, and menses. Data were analyzed from November 2015 to June 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures:The primary outcome was proportion of women who achieved pregnancy within 12 months after enrollment. Secondary outcomes were time to pregnancy using a proportional hazard model, pregnancy outcomes, sexual activity, ovulatory rates, and analysis of epilepsy factors in WWE. All outcomes were planned prior to data collection except for time to pregnancy. Results:Of the 197 women included in the study, 142 (72.1%) were white, and the mean (SD) age was 31.9 (3.5) years among the 89 WWE and 31.1 (4.2) among the 108 CW. Among 89 WWE, 54 (60.7%) achieved pregnancy vs 65 (60.2%) among 108 CW. Median time to pregnancy was no different between the groups after controlling for key covariates (WWE: median, 6.0 months; 95% CI, 3.8-10.1; CW: median, 9.0 months; 95% CI, 6.5-11.2; P?=?.30). Sexual activity and ovulatory rates were similar in WWE and CW. Forty-four of 54 pregnancies (81.5%) in WWE and 53 of 65 pregnancies (81.5%) in CW resulted in live births. No epilepsy factors were significant. Conclusions and Relevance:Women with epilepsy seeking pregnancy without prior known infertility or related disorders have similar likelihood of achieving pregnancy, time to pregnancy, and live birth rates compared with their peers without epilepsy.

Project description:ImportanceTo date, few attempts have been made to examine associations between exposure to maternal epilepsy with or without antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy and pregnancy and perinatal outcomes.ObjectivesTo investigate associations between epilepsy in pregnancy and risks of pregnancy and perinatal outcomes as well as whether use of AEDs influenced risks.Design, setting, and participantsA population-based cohort study was conducted on all singleton births at 22 or more completed gestational weeks in Sweden from 1997 through 2011; of these, 1?424?279 were included in the sample. Information on AED exposure was available in the subset of offspring from July 1, 2005, to December 31, 2011. Data analysis was performed from October 1, 2016, to February 15, 2017.Main outcomes and measuresPregnancy, delivery, and perinatal outcomes. Multivariable Poisson log-linear regression was used to estimate adjusted risk ratios (aRRs) and 95% CIs, after adjusting for maternal age, country of origin, educational level, cohabitation with a partner, height, early pregnancy body mass index, smoking, year of delivery, maternal pregestational diabetes, hypertension, and psychiatric disorders.ResultsOf the 1?429?652 births included in the sample, 5373 births were in 3586 women with epilepsy; mean (SD) age at first delivery of the epilepsy cohort was 30.54 (5.18) years. Compared with pregnancies of women without epilepsy, women with epilepsy were at increased risks of adverse pregnancy and delivery outcomes, including preeclampsia (aRR 1.24; 95% CI, 1.07-1.43), infection (aRR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.43-2.29), placental abruption (aRR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.18-2.38), induction (aRR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.21-1.40), elective cesarean section (aRR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.45-1.71), and emergency cesarean section (aRR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.00-1.20). Infants of mothers with epilepsy were at increased risks of stillbirth (aRR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.05-2.30), having both medically indicated (aRR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.08-1.43) and spontaneous (aRR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.20-1.53) preterm birth, being small for gestational age at birth (aRR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.13-1.30), and having neonatal infections (aRR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.17-1.73), any congenital malformation (aRR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.35-1.62), major malformations (aRR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.43-1.81), asphyxia-related complications (aRR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.26-2.42), Apgar score of 4 to 6 at 5 minutes (aRR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.03-1.76), Apgar score of 0 to 3 at 5 minutes (aRR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.62-3.61), neonatal hypoglycemia (aRR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.34-1.75), and respiratory distress syndrome (aRR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.30-1.68) compared with infants of unaffected women. In women with epilepsy, using AEDs during pregnancy did not increase the risks of pregnancy and perinatal complications, except for a higher rate of induction of labor (aRR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.10-1.55).Conclusions and relevanceEpilepsy during pregnancy is associated with increased risks of adverse pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. However, AED use during pregnancy is generally not associated with adverse outcomes.

Project description:ImportanceIf unintended pregnancy is common among women with epilepsy and is associated with increased risk of spontaneous fetal loss (SFL), it is important to develop guidelines for safe and effective contraception for this community.ObjectiveTo assess whether planned pregnancy is a determinant of SFL in women with epilepsy.Design, setting, and participantsThe Epilepsy Birth Control Registry conducted this web-based, retrospective survey between 2010 and 2014. It gathered demographic, epilepsy, antiepileptic drug (AED), contraceptive, and reproductive data from 1144 women with epilepsy in the community between ages 18 and 47 years. Data were analyzed between March 2018 and May 2018.Main outcomes and measuresThe primary outcome was the risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals for SFL in unplanned vs planned pregnancies. The secondary outcome was the identification of some potentially modifiable variables (maternal age, pregnancy spacing, and AED category) of SFL vs live birth using binary logistic regression.ResultsThe participants were proportionally younger (mean [SD] age, 28.5 [6.8] years), and 39.8% had household incomes of $25 000 or less. Minority women represented only 8.7% of the participants. There were 530 of 794 unplanned pregnancies (66.8%) and 264 of 794 planned pregnancies (33.2%). The risk for SFL in 653 unaborted pregnancies in women with epilepsy was greater for unplanned (n = 137 of 391; 35.0%) than planned (n = 43 of 262; 16.4%) pregnancies (RR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.59-2.90; P < .001). Regression analysis found that the risk for SFL was greater when planning was entered alone (odds ratio [OR], 2.75; 95% CI, 1.87-4.05; P < .001) and more so when adjusted for maternal age, interpregnancy interval, and AED category (OR, 3.57; 95% CI, 1.54-8.78; P = .003). Interpregnancy interval (OR, 2.878; 95% CI, 1.8094-4.5801; P = .008) and maternal age (OR, 0.957; 95% CI, 0.928-0.986 for each year from 18 to 47 years; P = .02), but not AED category, were also associated. The risk was greater when interpregnancy interval was less than 1 year (n = 56 of 122; 45.9%) vs greater than 1 year (n = 56 of 246; 22.8%) (RR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.49-2.72; P < .001). Relative to the younger than 18 years cohort (n = 15 of 29; 51.7%), the risks were lower for the intermediate older cohort aged 18 to 27 years (n = 118 of 400; 29.5%; RR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.39-0.84; P < .004) and the cohort aged 28 to 37 years (n = 44 of 212; 20.8%; RR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.26-0.62; P < .001) but not significantly different for the small number of participants in the aged 38 to 47 years cohort (n = 3 of 12; 25.0%). No individual AED category's SFL frequency differed significantly from the no AED category.Conclusions and relevanceThe Epilepsy Birth Control Registry retrospective survey finding that unplanned pregnancy in women with epilepsy may double the risk for SFL warrants prospective investigation with outcome verification.

Dataset Information

Contraception, pregnancy, and peripartum experiences among women with epilepsy in Bhutan.

Publications

Contraception, pregnancy, and peripartum experiences among women with epilepsy in Bhutan.

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