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Updated: Apr 20, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes with in-utero antiepileptic agent exposure. A pilot study
Dimitrios Arkilo1, Julie Hanna2, Deanna Dickens2
1Minnesota Epilepsy Group, P.A.(®) of United Hospital and Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, 225 Smith Ave N, # 201, St. Paul, MN 55102, USA.
Objective:
To assess pregnancy outcomes on women exposed to monotherapy with antiepileptic agents.
Methods:
Questionnaires were sent to women with epilepsy in our practice who were pregnant between 2006 and 2011. 62/86 patients (72%) who responded were on monotherapy. 24 fetuses (63%) were exposed to lamotrigine, 11 (28%) to levetiracetam, 2 (5.2%) to topiramate, 1 (2.6%) to gabapentin, 17 (27%) to carbamazepine, 5 to phenytoin and 2 to valproate.
Results:
There were 55 (88%) live births and 7 unsuccessful pregnancies (miscarriages/stillbirths). Unsuccessful pregnancies were reported in 2/24 gestations exposed to lamotrigine, 2/11 to levetiracetam and 3/17 to carbamazepine. Delayed motor development or speech delay requiring therapy and special programming was noted in 2/24 children prenatally exposed to lamotrigine, 3/17 exposed to carbamazepine and 1/2 children exposed to valproate.
Conclusion:
Our pilot study of children exposed to antiepileptic drug monotherapy in-utero demonstrated a favorable trend for successful pregnancy outcomes and developmental trajectory.
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