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Chronic illness, reproductive health and moral work: women's experiences of epilepsy
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Chronic illness, reproductive health and moral work: women's experiences of epilepsy

Diane Thompson, Hilary Thomas, Juliet Solomon, Lina Nashef and Sally Kendall
Chronic illness, Vol.4(1), pp.54-64
2008
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1742395307086696
PMID: 18322030
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Abstract

Epilepsy Reproduction Women’s health
Background The impact of chronic illness on families has long been noted in the literature, but in such studies families appear as ready-formed entities. This exploratory qualitative study addresses the largely unacknowledged work involved in the production of families and the maintenance of reproductive health by women with epilepsy, a condition whose symptoms and treatment have serious implications for all aspects of reproductive health. Methods Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with a sample of 15 women aged 20—40 years diagnosed with epilepsy and recruited from across the UK. The women had a range of neurological symptoms and hence different diagnostic categories; most had been diagnosed during childhood or adolescence. Ten women had at least one child. Results Women's experiences of healthcare services for key phases of reproduction are explored. While some women reported that they had received good healthcare, others reported that they were given inadequate information and that advice was offered too late to enable them to take appropriate action. Discussion Management of both epilepsy and reproductive health involves work with a significant moral dimension, the accomplishment of which is contingent on appropriate and timely advice from healthcare practitioners.

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

Source: InCites

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