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July 12, 2011
Here’s an important alert for pregnant women who are taking any of the following drugs: valproate (for migraines, bipolar disorder and epilepsy), topiramate (brand name TOPAMAX, for migraines and epilepsy) and antipsychotics.
Valproate and Decreased Scores on IQ Tests
On June 30, 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that children whose mothers took valproate — a drug for treating migraines, bipolar disorder and epilepsy — during pregnancy, have an...
July 12, 2011
Here’s an important alert for pregnant women who are taking any of the following drugs: valproate (for migraines, bipolar disorder and epilepsy), topiramate (brand name TOPAMAX, for migraines and epilepsy) and antipsychotics.
Valproate and Decreased Scores on IQ Tests
On June 30, 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that children whose mothers took valproate — a drug for treating migraines, bipolar disorder and epilepsy — during pregnancy, have an increased risk of decreased IQ scores. These tests measured intelligence, abstract reasoning and problem solving.
Read the full announcement.
Topiramate (Topamax) and Cleft Lip and/or Palate
On March 3, 2011, the FDA issued a warning on the epilepsy and migraine drug topiramate for causing cleft lip and/or palate.
Read the full announcement.
Antipsychotic Drugs and Harm to Fetuses
On Feb. 22, 2011, the FDA issued a warning to women who were in their third trimester of pregnancy and taking any medications in the antipsychotic drug class. The FDA found increased numbers of infants whose mothers used antipsychotics during their third trimester of pregnancy were born with symptoms of agitation, abnormal muscle tone, tremors, severe breathing problems and eating difficulties.
Read the announcement for the full list of drugs.
What You Should Do
Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant and are taking any of these drugs should talk to their health-care professional about treatment options.
