Intake of anticonvulsant drugs by women with epilepsy during pregnancy and breastfeeding: advantages and disadvantages

Abstract

Anti-epileptic drugs (AED) are being widely used in neurological practice. These are being prescribed as standard treatment not only of epilepsy, but also in various non-epileptic conditions, such as psychic illnesses and chronic pain. The main issue for women with epilepsy and their doctors during the AED administration is child and mother’s safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Anti-epileptic treatment during these periods could have an unfavourable impact on the frequency of mother’s seizures and child’s psychomotor development. Breastfeeding-related risks during the AED administration remain theoretical, bearing in mind the insufficient data from the limited previously undertaken research. In view of the established benefits from breastfeeding for babies’ long-term health in the general population, breastfeeding is to be promoted, with discretion on whether this should be balanced, individual, with monitoring of AED concentration in mother’s milk and mother and breastfed child’s serum.