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Maternal use of certain antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), especially valproic acid (VPA), increases the risk for major congenital malformations in offspring. Mounting evidence suggests that exposure to AEDs later in gestation leads to adverse cognitive outcomes. Two research groups examined this association in children followed up to age 6 years.
The NEAD study (Neurodevelopmental Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs) was a prospective observational investigation with masked cognitive assessment of children exposed in utero to the AEDs carbamazepine, lamotrigine, phenytoin, or VPA. A total of 225 children (born to 221 women with epilepsy; 72% of each cohort) underwent detailed cognitive assessments at age 6 years; previous assessments had been done at 2…