Despite the increasing use of the newer “atypical” or second-generation antipsychotic agents to treat a spectrum of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, PTSD and other anxiety disorders, we have relatively little data [...]
Topiramate (TPM, marketed as Topamax) is an antiepileptic drug which is also used for migraine prophylaxis, weight loss, and, less commonly, as a mood stabilizer. Over the last few years we have seen several studies [...]
While gabapentin (Neurontin) is now used in a wide variety of clinical settings — for epilepsy, pain management, restless leg syndrome, anxiety, and sleep disturbance – there is relatively little information regarding its reproductive safety. [...]
An increasing number of reproductive age women now take newer anticonvulsants for the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders; however, information regarding the reproductive safety of these medications is limited. A recent study has evaluated the cognitive and language development of children born to women with epilepsy exposed in utero to levetiracetam (LEV, Keppra) or sodium valproate (VPA, Depakote), as compared to control children born to women without epilepsy not taking medication during pregnancy.
Previous studies have suggested a link between opioid exposure and increased risk of certain congenital malformations.
Earlier this year we reported on a possible association between first trimester exposure to topiramate (Topamax) and increased risk of cleft lip and palate. In a recent study published by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, researches drew upon data from two birth defect databases to further delineate the risks associated with topiramate exposure.
Previous studies have indicated that infants exposed to valproic acid in pregnancy are at increased risk for a range of malformations, including neural tube defects. While these studies have shown an association between valproic acid and various malformations, they have been limited in their ability to quantify the risk of certain, less common malformations. To do this, large population-based case–control studies are more appropriate.
The increasing number of reproductive-age women taking antidepressants has raised concerns about the potential risks of using these medications during pregnancy. Literature accumulated over the last decade supports the use of certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the older tricyclic antidepressants during pregnancy, indicating no increased risk of congenital malformation in children exposed to these medications during the first trimester of pregnancy. Still, questions remain regarding the purported risk for "toxicity" in newborns exposed to antidepressants around the time of labor and delivery. These concerns are not new. Twenty years ago, case reports suggested that maternal use of tricyclic antidepressants near the time of delivery was associated with problems in the newborn such as difficulty feeding, restlessness, or jitteriness.
