Abstract
Valproic acid and its salt, sodium valproate, are an effective treatment for epilepsy, the most common chronic neurologic disorder worldwide. Teratogenic associations reported after embryofetal exposure has limited the recommendations of valproate use in women of childbearing age, after careful evaluation of the benefits and risks of this medication. The mechanisms of valproate damage during pregnancy are complex and incompletely clarified up to date. Maternal and fetal impact of valproate is a critical issue, standing at the base of the new consensus on practical guidelines for clinical use of antiepileptic treatment in fertile women.
Highlights
Valproic acid and its salt, sodium valproate, are an effective treatment for epilepsy, the most common chronic neurologic disorder worldwide
The proposed mechanism to explain these dysfunctions is related to the abnormal secretion of follicle stimulating and luteinizing hormones (FSH and LH) following the interaction between the epileptogenic amygdala and hypothalamus, resulting in disruption of the production of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRh) from the hypothalamic preoptic area during temporal mesial seizures [14]
Many antiepileptic drugs are related to contraceptive failure and are classified in three categories: knowing to cause contraceptive failure, causing contraceptive failure at high doses and with no known effect on contraceptive failure, VPA being included in the last category[14]
Summary
Valproic acid and its salt, sodium valproate, are an effective treatment for epilepsy, the most common chronic neurologic disorder worldwide. Valproic acid and the derivates of sodium-valproate are used worldwide for the treatment of epilepsy and have been proved effective for the control of a broad spectrum of types of epileptic seizures, either in monotherapy or added to other antiepileptic drugs.
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