Personal Injury Law

Epilepsy drug taken while pregnant may increase risk of Autism

By Brian F. LaBovick, Esq.

According to a new study, women taking the epilepsy drug valproate while pregnant may significantly increase their child's risk of developing autism.  Valproate is a generic version of the brand drug, Depacon. Further, according to the FDA this drug has a laundry list of side effects. However, the most glaring one is that some patients taking the drug Valproate have experienced life-threatening liver failure. 

The author of the report published in Neurology, December 2, 2008, Professor Gus Baker, of the University of Liverpool, states that women using the drug valproate during pregnancy could lead to a "substantial" risk of children being diagnosed with the condition. Further, they should be aware of this risk and should discuss them with their doctor. 

Preliminary results from this on-going study have shown that of the 632 children being followed, nearly half of the mothers took epilepsy drugs during the pregnancy.  Seven of the children were exposed to valproate in the womb and five of the seven exposed to the drug, developed autism. It is important to note that the mother of one of the five children with autism took a combination of Valproate and Lamotrigine.

The children in the study had no family histories of autism and were tested at ages one, three and six. Most of the children were six years old when they were diagnosed.

Click here to read more from Science Daily on this Epilepsy drug's risk to pregnant women.

Full post as published by LaBovick Injury Law Blog on December 03, 2008 (boomark / email).