No difference found in primary outcome of Verbal Index score at age 3 years with fetal exposure to ASM or for those born to healthy women<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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WEDNESDAY, March 10, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Children with fetal antiseizure medication (ASM) exposure do not have neurodevelopmental delays to age 3 years, according to a study scheduled for presentation at the upcoming annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, to be held virtually from April 17 to 22.<\/p>\n
Kimford Meador, M.D., from Stanford University in California, and colleagues examined adverse neurodevelopmental effects of fetal ASM exposure on neuropsychological outcomes at age 3 years. A total of 275 women with epilepsy (WWE) and 77 healthy women (HW) were enrolled during pregnancy. The primary outcome was a Verbal Index score calculated by averaging the Differential Ability Scales-II (DAS-II) Naming Vocabulary and Verbal Comprehension subtests, Preschool Language Scale-5 Expressive Communication and Auditory Comprehension subscales, and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4 at age 3 years.<\/p>\n
The researchers found that 74 percent of pregnant WWE were on monotherapy at enrollment, which was mainly lamotrigine (LTG) or levetiracetam (LEV; 43 and 37 percent, respectively). The most prevalent polytherapy was dual therapy LTG+LEV (44 percent). In adjusted analyses, Verbal Index scores at age 3 years did not differ for children of WWE versus HW (mean, 103.4 versus 102.7). For maximum third-trimester ASM blood levels, ASM exposure effects were not seen. Children of WWE and HW did not differ in secondary analyses of DAS-II Non-Verbal Index and General Conceptual Ability scores.<\/p>\n
“Our study results are reassuring to women with epilepsy who may be considering pregnancy as we found no neurodevelopmental or neuropsychological problems in 3-year-old children linked to antiseizure medications,” Meador said in a statement.<\/p>\n
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