New study provides reassurance for pregnant women taking levetiracetam

摘要

WOMEN with epilepsy who take levetiracetam during pregnancy can be reassured that the medicine does not seem to impair their child's future cognitive or motor skills, according to a study published in Neurology (online 8 January 2014). However, concerns over the use of valproate during pregnancy remain. Furthermore, the influence of seizure frequency, type and severity during pregnancy — which were not recorded in the study—was questioned in an accompanying commentary to the study. The authors of the commentary draw attention to clinical guidance: "If seizures can be controlled without substantial side effects by one of the antiepileptic drugs for which pregnancy outcome and neurodevelopmental data appear superior to valproate, ie, lamotrigine, carbamazepine and levetiracetam, those [medicines] should be used in preference to valproate."