The Australian registry of anti-epileptic drugs in pregnancy: Experience after 30 months

Abstract

Background: Most women with epilepsy need to take antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in pregnancy to prevent the potentially harmful effects of seizures. Retrospective studies have demonstrated an increased chance of having a child with a birth defect (BD) in women with epilepsy taking AEDs. It is uncertain how much of this risk is directly caused by the AEDs and whether certain drugs or combinations are associated with a greater risk. Aims: To establish a register to evaluate prospectively the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to specific AEDs; to determine whether certain AEDs or combinations were associated with a greater risk; and to determine whether other factors influen..