WOMEN AND AEDS

There are particular considerations that need to be taken into account when supporting women with learning disabilities who have epilepsy. Women with learning disabilities should not be excluded from the same services available to all women, but information may need to be modified in order to meet their needs. The issue of contraception needs to be considered carefully with women of child-bearing age.

Non-hormonal contraception methods have no side effects for women with epilepsy. It needs to be noted that hormonal contraception methods, such as the contraceptive pill, may affect the usefulness of the AEDs. This is primarily because of the interaction of female hormones with AEDs. AEDs such as sodium valproate and newer AEDs lamotrigine and levetiracetam do not impact on the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives. However, carbamazepine, phenobarbitone, phenytoin, primidone and ethosuximide do reduce the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives. These issues need to be discussed with both the epileptologist and the woman’s GP (Royal Society of Medicine 2004).

Women with mild learning disabilities and epilepsy need to be offered advice about pregnancy, preferably before becoming pregnant, in the same way as other women with epilepsy. These issues should be discussed at every annual review of epilepsy (or when the woman’s condition dictates) while the woman is of child-bearing age. Where pregnancy occurs, the woman will still need to continue taking AEDs, although adjustments to the dosage may be made by the epileptologist. The danger to the mother and baby from not taking AEDs and having seizures is usually greater than that associated with taking AEDs (British Medical Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society 2005; NICE Guidelines 2004).

Further detailed guidance on the management of pregnancy, labor and caring for the baby can be found in Primary Care Guidelines for the Management of Females with Epilepsy (October 2004), and from the National Society for Epilepsy website. Additional guidance has been issued by Stokes et al. (2004).

اخر الاخبار

اخبار العتبة العباسية المقدسة

الحزام الأخضر الجنوبي الأول يستضيف وفدًا شبابيًّا من محافظة المثنى

قسم شؤون المعارف الإسلامية يحتفي بإرث الأديب الراحل علي أنكيل ويتسلم مكتبته الشخصية

سماحة السيد الصافي يدعو إلى توثيق الأفكار والأحداث لحماية الإرث العراقي من الاندثار بغية نقله سليمًا للأجيال القادمة

قسم التطوير يقدم محاضرة ثقافية حول كتاب نهج البلاغة لملاكاته

المزيد

الآخبار الصحية

أول إرشادات غذائية قائمة على الأدلة لمعالجة الإمساك المزمن

صباح بلا إفطار؟.. صحتك في خطر!

هل يمكن للجلد أن يكشف عن صحتك العقلية؟.. دراسة حديثة تجيب

السر في مطبخك.. 6 أطعمة تمنح عظامك قوة الشباب

المزيد

الآخبار التكنلوجية

ناسا تكشف: كوكب الأرض أصبح أقل لمعانا خلال العقود الماضية

دراسة: الوقت الذي تستخدم فيه هاتفك قد يفضح حالتك النفسية

الهنغاري لاسلو كراسناهوركاي يفوز بجائزة نوبل للآداب 2025

رسميا.. إعلان الفائز بجائزة نوبل للسلام لعام 2025

المزيد

مواضيع ذات صلة

NATIONAL PATIENT SAFETY AGENCY

HEALTH IMPROVEMENT CLINICS

HEALTH FACILITATION

HEALTH SCREENING FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEARNING DISABILITIES

HEALTH PROMOTION APPROACHES

ATTITUDINAL BARRIERS

BARRIERS TO ACCESSING HEALTH CARE

Health Promotion Perspectives for Adults with Learning Disabilities

Epilepsy and Adults with Learning Disabilities CONCLUSION

CARE OF THE PERSON WITH EPILEPSY

MONITORING EPILEPSY IN ADULTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

ANTI-EPILEPTIC DRUGS