Long-term neurocognitive adverse effects of prenatal antiepileptic drug exposure

Abstract

Most women with epilepsy use antiepileptic medication during pregnancy because of seizure-related risks to mother and fetus. Most of the children exposed prenatally to antiepileptic medication are born healthy; however, there is increased risk for major congenital malformations and also unfavorable neurocognitive long-term development of the offspring. The increased risk has been correlated mainly with prenatal exposure to polytherapy and certain antiepileptic medications. Many confounding risk factors make it difficult to correlate the prenatal exposure and neurodevelopmental problems, and data of newer antiepileptic medications are lacking. In the future, larger prospective, controlled studies with extended follow-up are required to evaluate the long-term neurocognitive effects of prenatal antiepileptic medication exposure.

Keywords::

• antiepileptic drug
• children
• epilepsy
• neurocognitive outcome
• prenatal exposure
• women

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Two studies[4,17]referred to in this review were supported by a grant from Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation (Helsinki, Finland) and from internal departmental funds of the Pediatric Neurology Unit of Tampere University Hospital and Neurological Department of Kuopio University Hospital. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.