Prenatal antiepileptics linked to later behaviour issues

Almost one-third of children exposed to valproate had a psychiatric diagnosis, study shows
Reuters Health
antenatal

Children exposed prenatally to their mothers’ antiepileptic medication have an increased risk of behavioural problems compared with population norms, according to a study in the Netherlands.

Researchers studied behavioural problems in children exposed to valproate, carbamazepine, lamotrigine or levetiracetam monotherapy as part of a larger longitudinal study of the long-term effects of prenatal exposure to antiepileptic drugs.