Task force offers recommendations on epilepsy treatments in women and girls

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-05/w-tfo051815.php

Public Release: 18-May-2015
Wiley

The anti-epilepsy drug valproate should be avoided whenever possible in women who may become pregnant due to a high risk of malformations and developmental problems in babies who are exposed to the drug before birth.

The guidance comes from a joint task force of the Commission of European Affairs of the International League Against Epilepsy and the European Academy of Neurology. In an Epilepsia paper, the task force notes that it is also important that those women who need valproate to control their seizures are not denied the most effective treatment, as uncontrolled seizures can have serious consequences. [Eg., if a woman's breathing is disrupted, it could result in too little oxygen for the fetus, damaging it.]

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