Prescribing in pregnancy. Epilepsy in pregnancy.
In women with epilepsy, seizure control during pregnancy can be improved by maintaining the serum anticonvulsant drug concentration within the therapeutic range. Treatment with one anticonvulsant drug plus folic acid supplementation 5 mg per day seems appropriate in most cases. This should be achieved before conception whenever possible. No anticonvulsant drug seems free of teratogenic risk. With the commonly used anticonvulsant drugs-phenytoin, phenobarbitone, carbamazepine and sodium valproate-the risk is relatively low and represents less potential harm to the fetus than might occur with uncontrolled seizures.
D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology; D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000209:etiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006827:Hydantoins / Q000009:adverse effects; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006475:Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding / Q000209:etiology
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D006827:Hydantoins