Counselling offered to pregnant women with epilepsy

Request 706971785

1) What kind of pre-conception counselling (information sharing, advice, guidance, recommendations etc...) is given to women with epilepsy who are considering becoming pregnant? What is included, how and when is it delivered and by whom? 

2) What kind of counselling (information sharing, advice, guidance, recommendations etc...) is given to women with epilepsy who experience an unplanned pregnancy? What is included, how and when is it delivered and by whom? 

3) Is there a framework or policy that covers provision of pre-conception/during pregnancy counselling for women with epilepsy in Jersey?

Response​

1

Health and Care Jersey’s Maternity and Gynaecology services do not currently offer any official form of pre-conception care. If an individual is under the care of a consultant and planning for a pregnancy, this falls within the remit of the allocated consultant in charge of their epilepsy care, who can provide advice relevant to the individual in consideration of their condition and treatment. The responsible consultant may reach out to an Obstetrics and Gynaecology consultant for a viewpoint and advice. 

2

In such circumstances, these women should be risk-assessed at booking with their Community Midwife and referred into a consultant clinic. If the woman makes contact with their Neurology consultant to inform of an unplanned pregnancy, then their named consultant may request input from the Obstetrics and Gynaecology team to plan care. Communication and a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) approach will then form the plan of care between the Neurology consultant and the Obstetrics and Gynaecology team.

3

There is no active policy. Standard care would include care being provided in the Medical Disorders Clinic with consultant oversight, frequent communication and a MDT approach from the named consultants for both Neurology and Obstetrics and Gynaecology.​