Use of Common Epilepsy Drug in Pregnancy Tied to ADHD in Kids | MyEpilepsyTeam

Connect with others who understand.

sign up log in
Resources
About MyEpilepsyTeam
Powered By

Use of Common Epilepsy Drug in Pregnancy Tied to ADHD in Kids

Posted on March 14, 2019
View reactions


By E.J. Mundell, HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Jan. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- When a woman with epilepsy uses the anti-seizure drug valproate during a pregnancy, the odds that her baby will go on to develop ADHD rise, a new study suggests.

The Danish report can't prove that valproate causes attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in these cases, only that there's an association.

But in the new study, fetal exposure to valproate was tied to 48 percent higher odds of a child developing ADHD, according to a team led by Dr. Jakob Christensen at Aarhus University.

The study included more than 900,000 babies born in Denmark between 1997 and 2011. The children's mental health was tracked from birth until they averaged about 10 years of age.

Christensen's group concluded that "maternal use of valproate during pregnancy was associated with a small but significantly increased risk of ADHD in the offspring, even after adjusting for maternal psychiatric disease, maternal epilepsy," and other factors.

Other epilepsy drugs appeared to have no effect on ADHD rates, the researchers noted. The findings were published online Jan. 4 in JAMA Network Open.

Two U.S. experts said that most women with epilepsy are already counseled to avoid valproate during pregnancy.

"This study provides yet more data highlighting risks of using valproate in women of childbearing age," said Dr. Fred Lado, who directs epilepsy care for Queens and Long Island as part of the New York City Northwell Health system.

According to Lado, it's been long known that "valproate produces birth defects in up to 10 percent of children exposed in utero." The drug also "reduces average IQ [in exposed offspring] and increases the likelihood of behavioral problems," he said.

The new study "adds to the already compelling list of reasons for avoiding valproate use in women of childbearing age," Lado said. In most cases, women can switch to another anti-seizure medicine, but "in the rare cases where there is no alternative to valproate, women should be informed fully about the risks and counseled on the use of contraceptives," he added.

Dr. Andrew Adesman is chief of child developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the Children's Medical Center of New York in New Hyde Park. He said the new study "once again raises the concern that prenatal exposure to valproate puts a fetus at increased risk of ADHD as a child."

Adesman stressed that while avoidance of valproate is the preferred option during a pregnancy, women who have taken the drug while pregnant should not panic.

"It must be kept in mind that, despite the increased risk of ADHD, only about 10 percent of children exposed to valproate prenatally ended up having ADHD," Adesman said. "So, women who were treated with valproate during their pregnancy should be reassured by the fact that the chances are pretty small that their child will have ADHD as a function of valproate exposure during pregnancy."

SOURCES: Fred Lado, M.D., Ph.D., regional director, epilepsy, Queens and Long Island, Northwell Health, New York City; Andrew Adesman, M.D., chief, developmental & behavioral pediatrics, Children's Medical Center of New York, New Hyde Park, N.Y.; Jan. 4, 2019, JAMA Network Open, online

Copyright © 2019 All rights reserved.

Here are some questions and conversations from MyEpilepsyTeam:

Has anyone gotten pregnant while taking medications? Did it affect your child?

Has anyone chosen to adopt a child instead of having a child through pregnancy? Doctors say it's possible for me to have a healthy pregnancy with a few medication changes, but it sounds like an unpredictable journey I'm not sure I want to take.

Does anyone have experience with pregnancy while having medication-dependent epilepsy? If so, I’d really like to hear your story.

Did your doctor counsel you about taking valproate when you got pregnant?
Share in the comments below!

Posted on March 14, 2019
View reactions
All updates must be accompanied by text or a picture.

Become a Subscriber

Get the latest articles about epilepsy sent to your inbox.

Recent articles

For children and adults living with epilepsy, taking daily anti-seizure medication is essential —...

6 Tips on Taking Epilepsy Medications for Kids and Adults

For children and adults living with epilepsy, taking daily anti-seizure medication is essential —...
If your child is living with epilepsy, you might be presented with a lengthy list of treatment op...

5 Factors in Choosing Epilepsy Treatments for Your Child

If your child is living with epilepsy, you might be presented with a lengthy list of treatment op...
This is a short guided meditation by Dr. Christiane Wolf on self-kindness, which can give you mor...

Self-Kindness When Struggling: 6-Minute Guided Meditation

This is a short guided meditation by Dr. Christiane Wolf on self-kindness, which can give you mor...
If you’re good at thinking on your feet and staying calm during an emergency, you probably have w...

5 Essentials Epilepsy Caregivers Should Know

If you’re good at thinking on your feet and staying calm during an emergency, you probably have w...
Doctors can be a wealth of resources, but sometimes you need to ask for the additional informatio...

Supporting a Loved One With Epilepsy: 6 Ways Your Doctor Can Help

Doctors can be a wealth of resources, but sometimes you need to ask for the additional informatio...
Parents, caregivers, and clinicians can help frame a child’s attitude about epilepsy from an earl...

The Epilepsy Transition to Adulthood: How To Help Your Child

Parents, caregivers, and clinicians can help frame a child’s attitude about epilepsy from an earl...
MyEpilepsyTeam My epilepsy Team

Thank you for subscribing!

Become a member to get even more:

sign up for free

close