Epilepsy in pregnancy: developmental outcome of offspring at 12 months

Abstract

Women were enrolled in our prospective cohort study of epilepsy and pregnancy to determine the developmental outcome of offspring and the immediate outcome of pregnancy. Women with epilepsy (case group) were enrolled before conception or during the first trimester, and women without epilepsy or chronic illness (control group) were recruited during pregnancy. We have now completed 12-month evaluation for 43 children in the case group and 41 in the control group. We found no difference in growth parameters between the groups. The children in the case group had a higher mean number of minor anomalies than did those in the control group, and their features were consistent with those previously reported for children exposed to AEDs in utero. Developmental differences between the two groups varied, with some differences reaching statistical significance. The findings reported here are preliminary, since the children will be evaluated through 3 years of age.