[Children of epileptic mothers (author's transl)]

Abstract

A study of 115 children born to epileptic mothers treated during pregnancy showed a 6.9% increase in congenital malformation risk: 3 cleft lip-palate, 4 congenital cardiopathy and 1 arthrogryposis. The study also confirmed that these children were at risk of drug impregnation or withdrawal, dysmorphism with wide anterior fontanelle, and haemorrhage. The latter can be prevented by giving the mother vitamin K1 during the last weeks of pregnancy. The most characteristic finding was a high incidence (31%) of small head circumference at birth, frequently associated later with impaired somatic and psychomotor development during growth.