Associations between particular types of fetal malformation and antiepileptic drug exposure in utero

Abstract

Objective: To study associations between patterns of fetal malformation and individual antiepileptic drugs taken during pregnancy. Methods: Multiple variable logistic regression and other statistical analyses of data relating to 1733 fetuses from 1703 pregnancies (147 of which were not exposed to antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy). Results: There were statistically significant (P < 0.05) associations between (i) valproate exposure and spina bifida, malformations of the heart and great vessels, digits, skull bones, and brain, but not hypospadias, cleft palate/lip and mouth abnormalities, (ii) topiramate exposure and hypospadias and brain maldevelopments, and (iii) carbamazepine (CBZ) expos..