Seizure Medication Linked to Infant Mental Deficits

Infants exposed in the womb to Depakote, a drug commonly prescribed for seizures, migraines and depression, have consistently lower IQ's and higher levels of mental retardation than unexposed children, researchers report.

Other researchers said the findings should be considered preliminary because I.Q. measures were less reliable in 2-year-olds than in older children; the study will continue, tracking children through age 6.

The report is consistent with several recent studies finding that
Depakote is more likely than other so-called anticonvulsant drugs to increase the risk of mental deficits and other birth defects, like neural tube problems. An estimated 24 million American women have taken these drugs — which include Tegretol from Novartis, Lamictal from
GlaxoSmithKline and Dilantin from Parke Davis — for an array of problems, including epilepsy, bipolar disorder and migraine headaches, according to an analysis by the Epilepsy Foundation.

“Depakote looks worse than the other drugs in all of these recent studies,” said Dr. Kimford J. Meador, a professor of neurology at the
University of Florida and the lead author of the new study. “In all, it is compelling evidence that this drug should not be used as a first-line choice for treatment in pregnant women.”

Epilepsy Drug Can Increase Risk for Newborns, Study Says [New York Times]