Do women with epilepsy have more fear of childbirth during pregnancy compared with women without epilepsy? A case-control study.
BACKGROUND
Although anxiety and depression in populations with epilepsy have been studied, no research on fear of childbirth in women with epilepsy have been conducted. The purposes of this study were to examine whether a significant difference occurred in fear of childbirth between pregnant women with epilepsy and pregnant healthy controls and to evaluate the most common fears.


METHODS
Fifty pregnant women with epilepsy and 50 pregnant women without epilepsy were assessed at a gestational age between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, using two questionnaires for the measurement of fear of childbirth, an open question, and a clinical interview.


RESULTS
We found that during pregnancy, women with epilepsy experienced a significantly higher rate of fear of childbirth when compared with healthy controls, whereas after delivery, the experiences and feelings about childbirth are almost the same as those of women without epilepsy.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings signify the importance of the assessment of the fear of childbirth, especially in women with epilepsy, and the need to offer professional and ad hoc support to those who suffer from it.
Epilepsy Center, St. Paolo Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Katherine
K
Turner
Ada
A
Piazzini
Albertina
A
Franza
Raffaele
R
Canger
Maria Paola
MP
Canevini
Anna Maria
AM
Marconi
D000328:Adult; D016362:Analgesia, Obstetrical / Q000523:psychology; D001007:Anxiety; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000523:psychology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D016017:Odds Ratio; D036801:Parturition / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires