Fertility rate of epileptic women at Kenyatta National Hospital.

BACKGROUND Reproductive health issues of women with epilepsy (WWE) are complex and multifaceted, and both epilepsy and antiepileptic drug (AEDs) use may alter fertility and pregnancy outcomes in these women. OBJECTIVE To determine the fertility rate of women with epilepsy at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Neurology clinic, KNH, Nairobi, Kenya, between October 2006 and March 2007. SUBJECTS A total of 191 women with epilepsy (aged 15-49 years) who had been epileptic for at least one year were interviewed regarding their pregnancy and birth histories, and the information validated with medical records where available. RESULTS The general fertility rate (GFR) for reproductive-aged epileptic women for the three-year period (2003-2006) preceding the study was 46 livebirths per 1000 women-years (95% CI 35.13-63.59). CONCLUSION Fertility rate in epileptic women is decreased by two thirds (compared to that of general population of women in Kenya). Reasons for this are probably miltifactorial.