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Counseling on the Need for Folic Acid in Adolescents With Epilepsy
Charmaine B Lo1, Bailey Conrad1, Andrea Debs1
1Division of Emergency Medicine (CBL, DMN, DMC), Nationwide Children's Hospital; Pediatric Emergency Medicine (CBL), Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital; The Ohio State University College of Medicine (BC); Division of Neurology (AD, NK, EW, ADP), Nationwide Children's Hospital; Endocrinology and Metabolism Institute (AD), Cleveland Clinic; Department of Pharmacy (JH), Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH; Lincoln Memorial University (DMN), Debusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, Knoxville, TN; Department of Pediatrics (DMC, ADP), The Ohio State University College of Medicine; and The Center for Clinical Excellence (ADP), Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.
Background And Objectives:
Folic acid is an important supplement to take for women with epilepsy on antiseizure medications (ASMs). Determination of baseline counseling given to women with epilepsy and the association with folic acid being recommended were evaluated. Factors surrounding the association were reviewed.
Methods:
An exploratory retrospective review of women with epilepsy seen at a large Midwestern pediatric institution was performed between January 2018 and January 2020.
Results:
Patients who received preconception counseling were more likely to be given a recommendation to take folic acid. Patients on more than 1 ASM were likely to receive counseling. Patient age and race were associated with having folic acid recommended.
Discussion:
Providing preconception counseling for women with epilepsy is associated with an increased recommendation and prescription of folic acid. Further evaluation into possible disparities to receiving a folic acid recommendation is needed.
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