Yasmina Kattou // Photo credits: WLADIMIR BULGAR / SCIENCE PHOTO LI / WBU / Science Photo Library via AFP 16:26 p.m., November 30, 2023

On Wednesday 29 November, the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) unveiled a new overview of the risks for unborn children linked to the use of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy. Among the twenty or so antiepileptic drugs analyzed, for certain treatments, new risks were identified.

Around twenty antiepileptic drugs have been analysed by the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products. And on Wednesday 29 November, the ANSM unveiled a new overview of the risks for unborn children linked to the consumption of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy. For the fetus, the risks of neurodevelopmental disorders associated with the use of Depakine during pregnancy were already known. And now, it is the taking of the treatment for the father that is suspected of increasing the appearance of neurodevelopmental disorders in children, if the drug is taken within three months before conception.

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Carbamazepine is a cause for concern

Another molecule of concern because of a potential increase in the risk of neurological problems is carbamazepine, which is present in tegretol. The occurrence of heart or physical malformations, such as cleft lip, is already well known, so the purpose of this report is to propose alternatives.

"We see that there is still a high number of pregnant women who are exposed to this drug. And our goal today is to reduce the number of women exposed to this type of drug during pregnancy," said Philippe Vella, medical director at the ANSM. The Agency advises against decreasing, or stopping treatment alone. Epileptic seizures could then reappear, with a significant danger for children.