Acta Medica Port
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The interaction of antiseizure medication with contraceptives, its potential teratogenicity and implications in pregnancy and breastfeeding are aspects to consider in the neurological care of women with epilepsy of childbearing age. To ensure the commitment in therapeutic decisions and the appropriate planning of maternity, it is essential that women are informed about the implications of their disease in these domains. The main aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of women of childbearing age with epilepsy concerning the impact of epilepsy in contraception, pregnancy and breastfeeding. As secondary aims we defined (1) the demographic, clinical and therapeutic characterization of this group of patients, (2) the identification of variables that correlated with the level of knowledge of women with epilepsy, and (3) the identification of preferential methods to acquire new knowledge about epilepsy. ⋯ The knowledge of women of childbearing age with epilepsy in the Lisbon metropolitan area concerning the impact of epilepsy in contraception, pregnancy and breastfeeding seems to have significant gaps. Medical teams should consider engaging in patient education particularly during outpatient clinics.
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Stuttering is a speech fluency disorder, in which people know perfectly well the message they want to convey, even though their speech is characterized by changes in rhythm, repetitions, prolongations, pauses and blocks, and may also be associated with states of anxiety or emotional tension. Up to one in every six children, typically between two and five years old, experience a period of transitory speech disfluency, with usual spontaneous recovery before reaching school age, with a prevalence rate of stuttering of up to 1% of the adult population, and a higher incidence rate in males (4:1). In Portugal, it is estimated that stuttering affects around 100 thousand people, acquiring importance due to its frequency and association with lower self-esteem, anxiety and social isolation, with negative impact on people's ability to communicate and on their well-being and social interactions. The aim of this article is to highlight the complexity of the diagnostic and therapeutic approach of stuttering in pediatrics, with a particular focus on differentiating between normal speech disfluencies and childhood-onset fluency disorder (stuttering) and referral criteria, in order to raise awareness and facilitate early detection of these cases.
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Even though it is a rare condition, hereditary spherocytosis (EH) is the main inherited cause of haemolytic anaemia and presents with a broad spectrum of symptoms. In the few reported cases of pregnancy and EH, maternal and foetal outcomes are controversial. Particularly, reports of pregnancies with EH associated with thrombosis or portal hypertension are scarce. ⋯ Concerning the foetus, late-onset foetal growth restriction was diagnosed but did not determine preterm delivery. Five weeks post-partum after an episode of acute abdominal pain, mesenteric venous thrombosis was diagnosed. In this case report, we describe our experience in managing pregnancy, labour and post-partum of a woman with EH, highlighting potential complications of this condition.