We don’t hear this clinical question so often but it does come up from time to time.  While the anticonvulsant oxcarbazepine (Trileptal) was initially promoted as a mood stabilizer for patients with bipolar disorder, it [...]
There have long been concerns regarding the safety of the anticonvulsant valproic acid (Depakote) during pregnancy. Â Back in 2009, the American Academy of Neurology and American Epilepsy Society recommended against the use of valproic acid [...]
Previous studies have shown that children exposed to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) during pregnancy may be at increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. Â In a recent population-based cohort study from Denmark, researchers examined the prevalence of [...]
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology now recommends that women be screened for depression during pregnancy in addition to screening during the postpartum period. Â Because depressive symptoms during pregnancy have been associated with worse [...]
While we use lithium less commonly now than we have in the past, lithium is still one of the very best mood stabilizers we have. Â And with regard to its use during pregnancy, we have [...]
EURAP is an international registry for antiepileptic drugs and pregnancy. Â At its inception in 1999, it included only European countries but EURAP has grown and now includes 42 countries from Europe, Australia, Asia, South America. [...]
What’s worse? Exposure to antidepressant medication? Or exposure to untreated maternal depression?  In the first paper on the list, Mitchell and colleagues analyze data from 11 studies, finding that there were few differences between these [...]
 There have long been concerns regarding the use of the anticonvulsant valproate (Depakote) during pregnancy.  First trimester use of valproate has been associated with a 3-5% risk of neural tube defects, as well as [...]
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder, affecting about 10% of reproductive aged women. It is also the most common cause of infertility in younger women; however, many women are unaware they have [...]
Lupattelli and colleagues, analyzing data from the prospective Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study, look at the impact of prenatal SSRI exposure on children’s behavior.  Another study documents the deleterious effects of valproic acid exposure [...]
