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27/09/2017

Not All Pregnant Women Are Being Warned About Epilepsy Drug Information

Pregnant women are not being warned about the potential side effects of an epilepsy drug on their unborn babies, a new study has found.

The survey of 2000 women and girls with epilepsy was commissioned by the charities Epilepsy Society, Epilepsy Action and Young Epilepsy.

It revealed that 68% of the 475 women currently taking the drug sodium valporate did not receive the valporate toolkit, which provides full details on the risks the drug poses to fetuses.

The toolkit was launched in 2016 after the European Medicines Agency told regulatory agencies to upgrade their warnings for patients.

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Babies exposed to sodium valporate in the womb have a 40% risk of developing neuro-developmental disorders, including learning disabilities and low IQ. They also have a 10% risk of physical abnormalities.

The survey also found that one in six women taking the drug were unaware it could affect the mental and physical development of their children.

Just over one in five said that no healthcare professional had spoken with them about the risks the drug poses.

The Epilepsy Society said women should not be given repeat prescriptions for the drug for more than 12 months without a face-to-face consultation with their GP.

Patients are also advised that they should not stop taking the medicine without consulting their doctor.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency said it is keeping the drug under review.

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"Pregnant women are not being warned about the potential side effects of an epilepsy drug on their unborn babies, a new study has found."