Preferences of Pregnant Women for Outcomes Related to Epilepsy and the Use of Antiepileptic Medications in Pregnancy [18N]

INTRODUCTION: Women with epilepsy are at risk of higher seizure-frequency in pregnancy and fetal malformations from the use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). The trade-offs women are willing to make, to optimize pregnancy outcomes have not been determined. This study elicits preferences of pregnant women with and without epilepsy, for maternal and fetal health states related to epilepsy and the use of AEDs in pregnancy with a view to informing practice and research. METHODS: Cross-sectional study on pregnant women that had epilepsy or another chronic medical disorder requiring medications during pregnancy. Study participants were presented with seven vignettes related to epilepsy and the use of AEDs in pregnancy and asked to assign them values on a visual analogue scale, by the standard gamble and time trade-off methods. Utility values were presented on a scale of 0-100. RESULTS: 52 pregnant women completed the interviews. The median age was 33 (29.5-35) years and the median gestational age was 30 weeks. The epileptic and non-epileptic groups had identical demographic characteristics. Utility values for combined maternal-fetal health states related to epilepsy and the use of AEDs was obtained by three methods, from women with and without epilepsy. There were no differences in utility values obtained between groups regardless of the method used. CONCLUSION: This study provides utility values for combined maternal-fetal health states related to epilepsy and the use of AEDs for use in decision analysis studies and suggests that these preferences could be obtained from pregnant women with any chronic medical disorder taking medications during pregnancy.