Epilepsy and pregnancy: effect of antiepileptic drugs and lifestyle on birthweight.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the impact of epilepsy and antiepileptic drugs on length of gestation and anthropometric measures of the newborn.


METHODS
Cohort study based on questionnaires mailed to all pregnant women who attended for prenatal care at our department from August 1989 to January 1997.


METHODS
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.


METHODS
One hundred and ninety-three singleton pregnancies in women with epilepsy were compared with 24,094 singleton pregnancies in women without epilepsy.


METHODS
Preterm delivery, small for gestational age, mean gestational age, gestational age-adjusted birthweight, head circumference, and body length.


RESULTS
Children of women with epilepsy who smoked had lower gestational age and were at increased risk of preterm delivery (OR 3.4; 95% CI 1.8-6.5), compared with children born by nonepileptic women who smoked. Birthweight adjusted for gestational age was reduced by 102 g (95% CI 40-164) in women with epilepsy, and the risk of delivering a child who was small for gestational age was increased (adjusted OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3-2.7), compared with women without epilepsy. Newborn babies of women with epilepsy treated by drugs had a reduced adjusted birthweight (208 g, 95% CI 116-300), head circumference (0.4 cm, 95% CI 0.0-0.7), and body length (0.5 cm, 95% CI 0.1-1.0), compared with the newborn infants of women without epilepsy.


CONCLUSIONS
Women with epilepsy who smoked were at increased risk of preterm delivery compared with healthy smokers. Children of women with drug treated epilepsy had lower birthweight, length, and head circumference than children of women without epilepsy.
Hvas
C L
CL
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Denmark.
Henriksen
T B
TB
Ostergaard
J R
JR
Dam
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001824:Body Constitution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects
D000927:Anticonvulsants