[Newborn infants from epileptic mothers: malformation and auxonologic risk]

A case-control study was performed to determine if newborns of epileptic mothers have a higher probability of having congenital malformations. Forty seven newborns of epileptic mothers and an equivalent number of controls with no history of epileptic disease and paired for mother's age, parity, type of education were examined. Thirty one mothers had been treated during the first term of pregnancy and 16 had not. A large number of anthropometric parameters were measured in each newborn to minimize the subjective component in diagnosing even minimal malformations and fetal growth abnormalities. To evaluate weight, length and head circumference the neonatal standards of Largo et al. were used. For all other measures the standards of Merlob et al. were used. Single absolute values of the parameters measured were converted into standard points to eliminate the effect of the sex and gestational age variables. The incidence of malformations was not seen to be significantly different in the newborns of epileptic mothers as a whole and divided into the two subgroups (treated and untreated) versus controls. The fetal syndromes described in literature were not observed. Of all the anthropometric measures examined only length was significantly reduced in newborns of epileptic mothers. Maternal epilepsy and its treatment do not appear to be a considerable risk factor for the newborn.