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French Study Confirms Teratogenic Risks Of Valproate; Other Drugs In The Spotlight Too

 
• By Ian Schofield

The risks of major congenital malformations in children born of women who took the anti-epileptic valproate have been confirmed by a new French study, which has also detected new risks with both old and more recent drugs for epilepsy and bipolar disorder.

French authorities have reported on birth defects with anti-epileptic drugs

New results obtained by the French health authorities have further confirmed the “highly teratogenic nature” of valproate when used for the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder in women during pregnancy, with as many as 4,100 French children potentially having suffered major birth defects since the drug’s launch in 1967.

The risk level varies depending on the disorder the drug is used for: the risk of major congenital malformations (MCMs) is four times higher in children born of mothers taking valproate for epilepsy, while in those taking it for bipolar disorder the risk is two times higher, mainly because women with the

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