title: Pregnancy-related knowledge, risk perception, and reproductive decision making of women with epilepsy in Korea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the influence of pregnancy-related knowledge and the risk perception on reproductive decision making in women with epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled women with epilepsy, who were of reproductive age and were considering having children in the future. A questionnaire was used to assess the level of pregnancy-related knowledge, perception of the offspring's risk for developing epilepsy or for having a congenial anomaly, and discussion with a physician concerning pregnancy-related issues. We evaluated the following outcome variables: (1) the decision to discontinue anti-epileptic drug (AED) during a future pregnancy regardless of the medical indication; and (2) the decision to have fewer children because of epilepsy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We enrolled a total of 186 women with epilepsy. (1) Fifty-eight percent of the women were considering discontinuing AED during a future pregnancy regardless of the medical indication, and 25% of the women decided to have fewer children because of epilepsy. (2) The decision to discontinue AED during a future pregnancy was associated with low-level pregnancy-related knowledge. (3) The decision to have fewer children because of epilepsy was associated with an exaggerated perception of the offspring's risk for developing epilepsy. (4) The women who had ever discussed pregnancy-related issues with their physician were less likely to decide to discontinue AED during a future pregnancy; however, a discussion on this issue had no impact on their decision to have fewer children because of epilepsy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More than 50% of the women would decide to discontinue AED during a future pregnancy, and 25% of the women stated that they would have fewer children because of epilepsy. These data highlight the importance of education on pregnancy-related issues and genetic risk counseling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Republic of Korea; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyun Woo
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Eun Na
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Hye-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Joo Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Su Ah
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byoung Jae
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Kun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong Kwan
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Jun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003657:Decision Making; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D056910:Republic of Korea
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants
keywords: Epilepsy; Genetic risk perception; Offspring risk; Pregnancy-related knowledge; Reproductive decision making