Because breastfeeding has many psychological and medical benefits for both the mother and her child, many women would like to breastfeed. However, all medications taken by the mother are secreted into the breast milk. While various studies have addressed the safety of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in nursing infants, none have systematically assessed the long-term effects [...]
Tag Archives: epilepsy
Fetal Exposure to Valproate Associated with Lower IQ
April 24, 2009 – 10:06 am
There have long been concerns regarding the use of the anticonvulsant valproate (Depakote) during pregnancy. First trimester use of valproate has been associated with a 3-5% risk of neural tube defects, as well as an increased risk of other malformations affecting the heart, limbs, and genitals. A recent report published in the New England Journal [...]
