Topamax May Increase Birth Defects

Taking the drug topiramate (topamax) alone orwith other epilepsy drugs during pregnancy may increase the risk of birth defects, according to a recent study

Research has shown that many epilepsy drugs increase the risk of birth defects, but little research has been done on topiramate. Studies have shown that topiramate increases the risk of birth defects in animals.

A looked at178 babies born of which 16 had major birth defects. Three of these were in infants whose mothers were taking only topiramate, and 13 were in those whose mothers were taking topiramate and other epilepsy drugs.

“.. results should also get the attention of women with migraine and their doctors, since topiramate is also used for preventing migraine, which is an even more common condition that also occurs frequently in women of childbearing age,” says John Craig, MRCP, of the Royal Group of Hospitals in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

This study found that more birth defects occurred in women taking topiramate along with the drug valproate, or valproic acid, than in women taking topiramate and another epilepsy drug. Research has shown that valproate is associated with a high risk of birth defects.

The study was supported by a research grant from the Epilepsy Research Foundation and by unrestricted educational grants from GlaxoSmithKline, sanofi-aventis, UCB Inc., Janssen-Cilag, Pfizer, and Eisai.

Adapted from materials provided by American Academy of Neurology

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