Antiepileptic drugs as human teratogens.
BACKGROUND
There is still uncertainty concerning the risk of fetal malformation associated with the intake of various individual antiepileptic drugs in pregnant women.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the better-quality available evidence concerning the fetal hazards from exposure to antiepileptic drug monotherapy during human pregnancy.


METHODS
Examination of the available English language literature, particularly that dealing with individual antiepileptic drugs used in monotherapy, in the larger case series with better-quality internal comparison data.


CONCLUSIONS
There is reasonable evidence that valproate is a significant teratogen during therapeutic use in women; the other older antiepileptic drugs (phenobarbitone, phenytoin, carbamazepine) probably have some teratogenic potential, but less than valproate; the situation regarding the more recently marketed antiepileptic drugs is not yet clear.
Eadie
Mervyn J
MJ
University of Queensland, and Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Brisbane, Australia 4029, Australia. M.Eadie@uq.edu.au
D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002220:Carbamazepine; D014635:Valproic Acid; D010672:Phenytoin; D010634:Phenobarbital