title: Valproate prescriptions for nonepilepsy disorders in reproductive-age women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Scientific evidence has consistently shown taking valproate during pregnancy increases risks of congenital malformations and cognitive impairment. As such, elimination of its use would be an important step in birth defects prevention. There are guidelines discouraging its use among women with epilepsy, but none exists for women without epilepsy, nor is the prevalence of valproate for nonepilepsy indications known.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using de-identified data from the National Hospital and Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys (1996-2007), we examined individual prescriptions for reproductive-age adolescent girls and adult women ages 15 to 44 years in the United States, and estimated the number of antiepileptic drug and valproate prescriptions in the aggregate. We classified our study population using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes, as women with epilepsy and women without epilepsy. The prevalence of antiepileptic drug and valproate prescriptions among women without epilepsy was estimated as prescriptions per 1000 patient visits for every 3-year time interval and the overall study period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found 83% of valproate prescriptions were issued to women without epilepsy and 74% of these were for psychiatric diagnoses. The prevalence of antiepileptic drug prescriptions among women without epilepsy tripled during the study period (10.3 [1996-1998] vs. 34.9 [2005-2007] per 1000 patient visits), whereas valproate prescriptions remained relatively stable (3.1 [1996-1998] vs. 3.7 [2005-2007] per 1000 patient visits).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most women of reproductive age who receive a valproate prescription do not have epilepsy. Valproate prescriptions did not decline, despite increasing knowledge of its teratogenicity. Reducing valproate use among women of reproductive age, especially among those who use the drug for psychiatric indications, would prevent birth defects and cognitive deficits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Demilade A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Adedinsewo
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Thurman
authors.forename: Yao-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Rebecca S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.forename: Oluwaseun A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Odewole
authors.forename: Godfrey P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Oakley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014635:Valproic Acid