In utero exposure to valproate and other AEDs linked to low test scores

In utero exposure to some antiepileptic drugs was linked to decreased educational achievement at the age of 7 years, in results of a matched-case control study.

Compared with controls, children exposed in the womb to sodium valproate alone, or to multiple antiepileptics (AEDs), had lower scores on U.K standardized tests routinely administered to 7-year-olds, according to results published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

The results provide evidence showing that in utero exposure to some AEDs may lead to developmental issues in children, according to lead author Arron S. Lacey, Wales Epilepsy Research Network, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, England, and coauthors.

“Women with epilepsy should be informed of this risk, and alternative treatment regimens should be discussed before their pregnancy with a physician that specializes in epilepsy,” Dr. Lacey concluded in a discussion of their study results.