Rate of Breastfeeding Initiation and Continuation in Patients with Epilepsy: Study from a Tertiary Care Center in Makkah

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the rate of breastfeeding initiation and continuation among women with epilepsy treated in a tertiary care center in the Makkah region. Methods: All women with epilepsy treated in the epilepsy clinic at King Abdullah Medical City from 2019 to June 2023 were interviewed by phone. Data collected included patients' demographics, type and control of epilepsy, number of antiseizure medications (ASMs), and obstetric history. Results: Forty-eight patients were included in the study. A total of 32 (66.7%) were more than 30 years old, and 41 (85.4%) were from urban areas. A total of 22 (45.8%) received only one antiepileptic drug, 18 (37.5%) received two drugs, and 8 (16.7%) received three or more drugs. The majority (68.6%) of patients practiced breastfeeding. Breastfeeding lasted 6 months or longer for 12.1% of mothers. Bottle feeding was needed for 72.9% of patients. Breastfeeding was reported by significantly more patients (73.2%) from urban areas versus 42.9% of those from rural areas (P = 0.043). Also, 81.8% of patients on one ASM practiced breastfeeding, compared to 62.5% on more than two ASMs (P = 0.048). Other significant factors related to breastfeeding were not having a seizure during pregnancy (81.8%-57.7%, P = 0.049) and a normal vaginal delivery (81.3%-43.8%, P = 0.008). Conclusion: The rate of breastfeeding among women with epilepsy in the Makkah region is low. Several factors, including the number of ASMs, seizure control during pregnancy, spontaneous vaginal delivery, and being from an urban area, were significantly related to breastfeeding behavior among these women.