Assessing Antiepileptic Drugs in Women with Epilepsy during Pregnancy in Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University, Thailand

Abstract

Background: Epilepsy in pregnant women was related with many complications by itself. Antiepileptic drugs were prescribed for decreasing the frequent and severity of seizure, they causes malformation in the fetus. Objective: To assessing antiepileptic drugs in women with epilepsy during pregnancy in Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. The second objective was to review abnormal congenital malformation effect of antiepileptic drugs, specialty in type of drug used in the hospital. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in all pregnant women who using antiepileptic drugs during 2015 to 2019. Review the literature were searched from online publishing report. Results: The preliminary data from the hospital showed 7 AEDs used in pregnant period. The AEDs which highly used including phenobarbital, levetiracetam, and valproic acid, respectively. Co-medication was folic acid, ranitidine, and multivitamin. The review literation data showed valproic acid or valproate was the high risk drug inducing of congenital malformation in children who received AEDs during grown in uterus. The major congenital malformation composed of orofacial clefts, neural tube defects, and limb deficiencies, and usually found in older AEDs than new drug group. Conclusion: AEDs or epilepsy causes increases the risk of many complications in both maternal and child. It is challenging to obstetricians, neurologist, and pediatric doctors for well co-operation to management of WWE who intake AEDs during pregnant for good outcomes of maternal and her child at post-partum period. Keywords: Women with epilepsy (WWE), Pregnancy, Antiepileptic drugs, Epilepsy clinic Srinagarind hospital