National charity Epilepsy Action has welcomed the inclusion of an important epilepsy-related indicator in the recommendations for 2010/11 Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), announced today. If adopted, the indicator would provide an incentive for GPs to ensure that women taking anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) receive vital pre-conception counselling.
Research shows that children born to women prescribed certain AEDs, such as sodium valproate, have a greater risk of developing neurological and physical disorders including autism and spina bifida . According to the UK Epilepsy and Pregnancy Register, women taking AEDs are at up to three times the risk of having a child with a major congenital malformation . The charity has pushed for the indicator to be included in QOF for some time and presented its case to the QOF expert panel in 2007. It was also included in the recommendations by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Epilepsy in its 2007 report, Wasted Money, Wasted Lives .
Pre-conception counselling is designed to reduce the risks to mother and child by allowing women of child bearing age to make informed decisions when planning a family. However, a 2007 survey by the charity revealed that only 21 per cent of women with epilepsy received any pre-conception counselling.
Simon Wigglesworth, Epilepsy Action's deputy chief executive, said: "It is vital that women have the opportunity to discuss the options open to them with their healthcare professional. This indicator would demonstrate the health service’s acknowledgement of the importance of pre-conception counselling. We sincerely hope that this indicator is adopted next year to help reduce the risks to both mothers and their children.”
Around 5,000 women with epilepsy become pregnant every the year in the UK. The majority of women will experience uncomplicated pregnancies and give birth to healthy babies. The aim in epilepsy care is that women achieve good seizure control while posing the minimum risk to the unborn child. Women should never stop taking epilepsy medication without consulting their doctor as this could be potentially harmful to their health and their unborn child.
Epilepsy Action is the UK's largest member-led epilepsy organisation. Last year alone the organisation directly helped over 686,500 people through a range of services, including its Epilepsy Helpline, advice and information centre, and branch network.