The effectiveness of preconception counseling to reduce adverse pregnancy outcome in women with epilepsy: What's the evidence?

Objective: The purpose of this Cochrane review was to determine the effectiveness of delivering preconception counseling interventions to women with epilepsy (WWE) as a means of reducing adverse pregnancy outcomes, increasing knowledge, and increasing intentions to plan pregnancy. Methods: Two hundred twenty-five citations were retrieved from a systematic search of the Cochrane Library and electronic databases: Medline (OVID), Scopus, CINAHL, PsychINFO, and ASSIA, and hand searches of relevant epilepsy and obstetric journals. Results: The search strategy identified 11 studies for consideration for inclusion. However, none met the required criteria for inclusion. Conclusions: There is no robust evidence to inform the content, methods of delivery, or likely effectiveness of preconception counseling to improve pregnancy outcomes for WWE and their offspring. The value of counseling WWE prior to conception remains uncertain and requires evaluation in well-designed studies, appropriately powered to detect changes likely associated with both maternal and infant outcomes. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.