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.
The findings of this study do not suggest that prenatal antipsychotics exposure is associated with increased risk for ADHD, ASD, small for gestational age, or preterm birth.
Prenatal exposure to valproate has been associated with an elevated risk (10%) for a broad range of congenital malformations including neural tube defects, as well as adverse neurodevelopmental sequelae, including lower IQ and developmental delays [...]
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) unequivocally recommends that ALL WOMEN who are either planning or capable of pregnancy take a DAILY SUPPLEMENT containing 0.4 TO 0.8 mg (400-800 µg) OF FOLIC ACID.  [...]
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 [...]
Concerns regarding a link between antidepressant use during pregnancy and autism emerged when two epidemiologic studies demonstrated an association between prenatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants (SSRIs) with an increased risk of autism [...]
Current research suggests that autism spectrum disorders (ASD) occur as a result of events that take place during pregnancy. Â While genetic factors play an important role, non-heritable risk factors contribute to a substantial proportion of [...]
Several studies have observed that fetal exposure to the antiepileptic drug (AED), valproic acid (Depakote), may significantly increase the risk of having a child with an autism spectrum disorder. Â In contrast, exposures to other AEDs, [...]
 It’s only been a few days since Johns Hopkins released the preliminary results of a study on folate levels and autism, and we have already received calls and emails regarding the findings.  Unfortunately the [...]
Big data is changing the face of medicine, yielding information that may drastically change how we practice medicine. Â In the field of perinatal psychiatry, we are now seeing more and more studies which rely on [...]
