For many women with bipolar disorder, lamotrigine (Lamictal) is an effective mood stabilizer. Given its relatively favorable reproductive safety profile, lamotrigine is a reasonable option for women who require treatment with a mood stabilizer during pregnancy.
Anticonvulsants are not only used for the treatment of epilepsy but are now used with increasing frequency for the treatment of mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder. Recent studies have indicated that anticonvulsants may negatively affect bone mineral density, as well as increase fracture risk. This seems to be especially common with the older anticonvulsants (e.g., phenobarbital, carbamazepine, phenytoin, and valproate); however, the data regarding lamotrigine and other newer anticonvulsants is much more limited. While bone loss is more often seen with long-term use of these medications, several reports indicate that decreased bone density may also be detected within the first 1-5 years of use.
