Chronic illness, reproductive health and moral work: women's experiences of epilepsy.
BACKGROUND
The impact of chronic illness on families has long been noted in the literature, but in such studies families appear as ready-formed entities. This exploratory qualitative study addresses the largely unacknowledged work involved in the production of families and the maintenance of reproductive health by women with epilepsy, a condition whose symptoms and treatment have serious implications for all aspects of reproductive health.


METHODS
Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with a sample of 15 women aged 20-40 years diagnosed with epilepsy and recruited from across the UK. The women had a range of neurological symptoms and hence different diagnostic categories; most had been diagnosed during childhood or adolescence. Ten women had at least one child.


RESULTS
Women's experiences of healthcare services for key phases of reproduction are explored. While some women reported that they had received good healthcare, others reported that they were given inadequate information and that advice was offered too late to enable them to take appropriate action.


CONCLUSIONS
Management of both epilepsy and reproductive health involves work with a significant moral dimension, the accomplishment of which is contingent on appropriate and timely advice from healthcare practitioners.
Thompson
Diane
D
Centre for Research in Primary and Community Care, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9AB, UK.
Thomas
Hilary
H
Solomon
Juliet
J
Nashef
Lina
L
Kendall
Sally
S
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009014:Morals; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011295:Prenatal Care; D043762:Reproductive Behavior / Q000941:ethics / Q000523:psychology*; D018456:Reproductive Medicine / Q000941:ethics; D006113:United Kingdom; D016387:Women's Health