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Valproate is a drug commonly prescribed for the treatment of epilepsy, bipolar disease, migraine, and other conditions. Evidence shows that prenatal exposure to valproate is associated with a high rate of congenital malformations (10.4%; JW Neurol Jul 13 2010) and lower IQ scores at 6 years of age (JW Neurol Mar 5 2013). Despite these data, a significant percentage of women of childbearing age continue to receive treatment with the drug. To assess the risk for autism with prenatal valproate exposure, researchers surveyed data from Danish national registries over a 10-year period. The study cohort consisted of 655,615 children followed for up to 14 years; 508 were exposed to valproate in utero.
The absolute risks for autism spectrum disorder …