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

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.