title: Neurological teratogenic effects of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy.
abstract: Epilepsy is one of the few neurologic disorders that requires a constant treatment during pregnancy. Epilepsy affects 0.3-0.8% of pregnant women. Prescription of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) to pregnant women with epilepsy requires monitoring and maintaining a balance between limiting seizures and decreasing fetal exposure to the potential teratogenic effects. AEDs are also commonly used for psychiatric disorders, pain disorders, and migraines. The types of malformations that can result in fetuses exposed to AEDs include minor anomalies, major congenital malformations, intrauterine growth retardation, cognitive dysfunction, low IQ, microcephaly, and infant mortality. In the present review, we analyzed and summarized the current understanding of neurological development in fetuses that are exposed to various AEDs administered to pregnant epileptic women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 261000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qingmei
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 261000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Baohua
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Neurology, Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 261000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wei
keywords: AEDs; antiepileptic drugs; epilepsy; neurology; pregnancy; teratology