Despite the unequivocal benefits of folic acid supplementation and recommendations urging all women of reproductive age to take folic acid supplements, preconceptual use of folic acid has not increased substantially.
This article reviews the research on the effects of antenatal maternal psychological states on offspring.
Some studies have demonstrated associations between in utero exposure to antidepressants and cognitive outcomes.
These findings are encouraging and suggest that the newer AEDs, specifically lamotrigine and levetiracetam, are not associated with worse neurodevelopmental outcomes.
While questions and controversies remain, the information on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in children prenatally exposed to antidepressants is largely reassuring.
There is a growing body of literature to indicate that exposure to certain antiepileptic drugs, most notably valproic acid (VPA, Depakote) during critical periods of development may be associated with long-lasting neurodevelopmental deficits.
Over the last few years, the medical community has been using the term perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) to describe the spectrum of psychological symptoms women may experience during pregnancy or the postpartum period. [...]
Despite decreasing rates of alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy, the use of cannabis use during pregnancy is on the rise. According to data collected from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the [...]
Previous studies have demonstrated that children born to mothers who smoke during pregnancy are at increased risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In a recent review, Huang and colleagues looked at data from 15 cohort [...]
We often talk about the importance of planning for pregnancy. In these discussions, we emphasize the importance of supplementation with folic acid as a means of decreasing risk for birth defects and improving neurodevelopmental [...]
