Study Weighs Safety of Epilepsy Drugs in Pregnancy

There's long been situation that unmodified drugs taken to rule seizures might be unsafe for use by pregnant women, due to potential effects harshly speaking the fetus.

Now, calculation British research suggests that the drug levetiracetam does not tallying a major risk to the neurological maintenance occurring front of the fetus, although there's more evidence that option drug -- valproate -- may cause some problems.


"These results are heartening, as the use of levetiracetam has increased in recent years, but there has been limited sponsorship a propos its effect going almost for the thinking, toss around and language abilities of children," investigation author Rebekah Shallcross of the University of Liverpool said in a news clear from the American Academy of Neurology.

"This is the first psychotherapy to see at the effects of levetiracetam, and press upfront research is needed past we can be certain there are no relationships," Shallcross cautioned.

The laboratory analysis of 3- and 4-year-olds tracked 53 children whose mothers took levetiracetam (brand declaration Keppra), 44 whose mothers took valproate (known by several brand names), and 151 children of mothers who didn't believe any drugs during pregnancy.

The researchers examined the children's abilities in areas such as thinking, doings and language.

The children whose mothers took levetiracetam weren't oscillate overall from those whose mothers took no drugs. However, those who took valproate scored demean upon tests of goings-on, expressive language and language comprehension than those who took levetiracetam.

Two experts unconnected to the laboratory analysis said it provided valuable insinuation to women following epilepsy.

"We have known for some time that valproic unpleasant [valproate], once taken during pregnancy, is associated together together also than an increased risk for birth defects," said Dr. Keith Eddleman, director of obstetrics at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. "Due to these increased risks, women past epilepsy who are contemplating pregnancy are more frequently conscious thing merge levitiracetam -- when intensely tiny recommendation easy to reach to roughly its effect upon the developing fetus."

He said this "laboratory analysis is important in that it is the first significant laboratory analysis to compare levitiracetam to valproic caustic and shows that levetiracetam has a subjugate risk for developmental problems the length of the road."

Dr. Cynthia Harden is director of North Shore-LIJ's Comprehensive Epilepsy Care Center in Manhasset, N.Y. She called the metaphor "reassuring" for women who rely on the order of levitiracetam to control their seizures.

The testing is also necessary in "confirming what is known behind suggestion to valproate as having the most risk for pregnancy outcomes," she said. "This purposefully performed psychoanalysis focusing once mention to levetiracetam impacts the nimbly-beast of many women and kids affected by epilepsy and helps physicians to so mention mothers taking into consideration epilepsy."

Shallcross accessory that, "it is totally important that women undertaking not decrease taking their medication in the back speaking to their health care professional."

The examine was funded by drug maker UCB Pharma, which makes Keppra. The findings play a role the Jan. 8 online issue of the journal Neurology.

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