Maternal Use of Antiepileptic Agents During Pregnancy and Major Congenital Malformations in Children

Is maternal use of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy associated with major congenital malformations in children?Certain antiepileptic drugs were associated with increased rates of congenital malformations (eg, spina bifida, cardiac anomalies). Lamotrigine (2.31% in 4195 pregnancies) and levetiracetam (1.77% in 817 pregnancies) were associated with the lowest risk and valproate was associated with the highest risk (10.93% in 2565 pregnancies) compared with the offspring of women without epilepsy (2.51% in 2154 pregnancies).