Language skills of school-aged children prenatally exposed to antiepileptic drugs

• DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0b013e31820d62c7
• Publication Date: 2011-02-22T02:12:59Z
• Authors: C. Nadebaum; V.A. Anderson; F. Vajda; D.C. Reutens; S. Barton; A.G. Wood
• Keywords: Valproic Acid; Language delay; Medical record

Fetal exposure to some antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) carries increased risk of major birth defects, and may be associated with reduced intellectual abilities. The impact on language remains unclear. This study aimed investigate the fetal AED skills.Women epilepsy their children were recruited this observational through Australian Pregnancy Register for Women Epilepsy Allied Disorders. Language skills 102 AED-exposed assessed using Clinical Evaluation Fundamentals, fourth edition (CELF-4). Assessments conducted blind drug. Maternal epilepsy, pregnancy, medical histories obtained from prospectively collected records.Mean CELF-4 Core scores exposed sodium valproate in monotherapy (mean 91.5, SD 17.5) or polytherapy 73.4, = 22.3) significantly below standardized test mean 100 (p < 0.05). Mean carbamazepine lamotrigine monotherapy, without valproate, not different normal. First-trimester dose was negatively correlated scores, predicted after controlling other group differences.Fetal increases impairment. should taken into account when making treatment decisions women childbearing age.