Evidence from this and other studies suggests that lamotrigine and levetiracetam have low risk for teratogenesis, but that topiramate exposure early in pregnancy may be associated with dose-related anatomical teratogenesis, as valproate is already known to be.
The Register has already produced important information for the management of pregnant women with epilepsy in Australia, but greater rates of recruitment into the Register are desirable to allow it to achieve its full potential.
Treatment is not interfered with. Data are analysed using conventional statistical techniques, confidence interval methods, and logistic regression. Results: By 2018, the APR contained details of 2148 pregnancies. AEDs were taken throughout 1972 of the pregnancies (91.8%). The remaining 176 (8.2%) did not receive AEDs, at least early in pregnancy.There were (i) dose-related increased incidences of pregnancies carrying foetal malformations associated with maternal intake of valproate and topiramate when topiramate was a component of AED polytherapy (P < .05), (ii) a similar dose-related trend in relation to carbamazepine intake, (iii) no evidence that levetiracetam and lamotrigine were unsafe from the foetal standpoint, (iv) insufficient data to permit conclusions regarding teratogenicity in relation to other AEDs, and (v) no evidence that pre-conception folate supplementation reduced the hazard of AED-associated foetal malformation. AED polytherapy did not increase foetal hazard unless valproate or topiramate was involved in the AED combination. Genetic factors probably contributed to the malformation hazard. Seizures occurring in earlier pregnancy probably did not contribute to the malformation hazard. Conclusions: If it were not for the importance of maintaining seizure control, the above findings suggest that it would be better to avoid using certain AEDs, particularly valproate and topiramate, during pregnancy.
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