Intake of Epilepsy Drug During Pregnancy Raises Autism Risk in Kids

Women who take epilepsy drug valproate during pregnancy may significantly raise their child's risk of developing autism, says a new study.

The preliminary research is published in the December 2, 2008, print issue of Neurology.

Autism Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prognosis
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder typically characterized by impaired social and communication skills combined with repetitive movements.

The ongoing study involves 632 children, nearly half of whom were exposed to epilepsy drugs during gestation. Of the children whose mothers took epilepsy drugs while pregnant, 64 were exposed to valproate, 44 to lamotrigine, 76 to carbamazepine and 65 to other epilepsy drugs. Of the 632 children in the study, nine have been diagnosed with autism and one has shown symptoms of the disorder.

The children were tested at one, three and six years old. Two-thirds of the children were six years old by the end of the study.

The study found seven of the children with autism had mothers who took an epilepsy drug while pregnant, four of those children were exposed to valproate while a fifth child's mother took a combination of valproate and lamotrigine.

Drugs in Pregnancy & Lactation - What is Safe and What is Harmful
During pregnancy & lactation a nutritious diet, suitable exercise, adequate rest and a tranquil mind help both the mother and fetus and drugs hould be avoided.

The children whose mothers were given valproate during pregnancy were seven times more likely to develop autism compared to children whose mothers did not take an epilepsy drug while pregnant.

This risk was not seen with the other epilepsy drugs. None of the children in the study had any known family history of autism.

Epilepsy and Slides
Epilepsy is a medical condition where the brain cells fire abnormal electrical signals that physically manifests as a ‘Seizure’. There should be two or more seizures before the term epilepsy should be used.

"The potential risk for autism in this study was substantial for children whose mothers took valproate while pregnant, but more research needs to be done since these are early findings," says study author Gus Baker, PhD, FBPsS, of the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom.

"However, women who take valproate while pregnant should be informed of the possible risks of autism and are encouraged to discuss them with their doctor. Those who are taking valproate should not stop their treatment without speaking to their doctor first," the expert said.

High Risk Pregnancy Group Calculator
Medindia offers you a useful calculator to find out if you fall under the high risk pregnant group. Take the precautionary steps and avoid complications during pregnancy.

Other studies have shown that valproate is more likely to cause birth defects than other epilepsy drugs.

Symptoms of autism include difficulty in language development, a lack of attention, social problems and the inability to understand other people's feelings.

Source-ANI
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