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Gender differences in concerns about planning to have children and child-rearing among patients with epilepsy: A prospective, multicenter study with 477 patients from Germany.

Authors :
Mann C
Süß A
von Podewils F
Zahnert F
Langenbruch L
Bierhansl L
Menzler K
Schulz J
Gaida B
Rosenow F
Strzelczyk A
Source :
Epilepsy & behavior : E&B [Epilepsy Behav] 2022 Apr; Vol. 129, pp. 108650. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Mar 12.
Publication Year :
2022

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the concerns and worries about planning to have children and being a parent as a person with epilepsy and investigate gender differences in these perceptions.<br />Methods: The Epi2020 study was a large multicenter study focusing on different healthcare aspects of adult patients with epilepsy in Germany. In addition to basic clinical and demographic characteristics, patients were asked to answer a questionnaire regarding their plan to have children, if they had children, and concerns about their children's health. Data were analyzed to detect differences between men and women with epilepsy according to age group.<br />Results: In total, 477 patients with epilepsy with a mean age of 40.5 years (SD = 15.5, range: 18-83 years) participated in this study; 280 (58.7%) were female and 197 (41.3%) were male. Both women and men frequently reported concerns and worries about having children: In the age group below 45 years of age, 72.5% of women and 58.2% of men described being worried to some extent that their children may also suffer from epilepsy (p = .006). Furthermore, 67.3% of women and 54.2% of men below the age of 45 years reported being worried that their children may be disabled (p = .003). Women were more likely to have family members who are reluctant to support their desire to have children (p = .048).<br />Conclusion: Women with epilepsy of childbearing age are significantly more likely to report major concerns that their children might be disabled or also have epilepsy than men with epilepsy and, therefore, express more concerns about choosing to have a child. However, men also report frequent concerns and worries, and this should be addressed not only on request but should be included in the provision of general information on epilepsy.<br />Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement CM reports speakers’ honoraria from Eisai and travel support from GW Pharmaceuticals, outside of the submitted work. FvP has received speaker honoraria from Bial, Eisai, GW Pharmaceutical companies, Angelini Pharma, Zogenix and UCB Pharma; and scientific advisory board honoraria from GW Pharmaceutical companies, UCB Pharma, and Angelini Pharma. LL reports speaker’s honoraria from Eisai, GW pharmaceuticals, and Biogen. FR reports personal fees from Angelini Pharma/Arvelle Therapeutics, Eisai GmbH, GW Pharmaceuticals/Jazz Pharma, and UCB Pharma and grants from the Detlev-Wrobel-Fonds for Epilepsy Research, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the LOEWE Programme of the State of Hesse, and the European Union. AS reports personal fees and grants from Angelini Pharma/Arvelle Therapeutics, Desitin Arzneimittel, Eisai, GW Pharmaceuticals, Marinus Pharma, Medtronic, UCB, UNEEG Medical, and Zogenix. ASüß, FZ, LB, KM, JS, and BG have nothing to declare.<br /> (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1525-5069
Volume :
129
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Epilepsy & behavior : E&B
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
35290934
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2022.108650