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Medications during pregnancy must be carefully considered. Many types of drugs, medications, and even nutritional supplements can affect fetal development or cause complications. For over-the-counter and prescription medications, healthcare professionals can help weigh the potential risks and benefits of taking medication while pregnant and if ...
Maintaining seizure control is crucial throughout the pregnancy of a person with epilepsy, including during labor and delivery. Tonic-clonic seizures or any type of seizure with impaired awareness can result in falls or car wrecks, leading to multiple complications in obstetric patients, including: Placental abruption; Internal hemorrhage
Ethosuximide, sold under the brand name Zarontin among others, is a medication used to treat absence seizures. [4] It may be used by itself or with other antiseizure medications such as valproic acid. [4] Ethosuximide is taken by mouth. [4] Ethosuximide is usually well tolerated. [5]
Data from studies conducted on women taking antiepileptic drugs for non-epileptic reasons, including depression and bipolar disorder, show that if high doses of the drugs are taken during the first trimester of pregnancy then there is the potential of an increased risk of congenital malformations.
However, optimal seizure control is very important during pregnancy so drug may be continued if benefits outweigh the risks. Due to decreased drug concentrations as a result of plasma volume expansion during pregnancy , dose of phenytoin may need to be increased if only option for seizure control.
[8] [7] Use during pregnancy may result in harm to the fetus. [9] Primidone is an anticonvulsant of the barbiturate class; [7] however, its long-term effect in raising the seizure threshold is likely due to its active metabolite, phenobarbital. [10] The drug’s other active metabolite is phenylethylmalonamide (PEMA).
Oxcarbazepine is an anticonvulsant used to reduce the occurrence of epileptic episodes, and is not intended to cure epilepsy. [12] Oxcarbazepine is used alone or in combination with other medications for the treatment of focal (partial) seizures in adults. [3]
It is therefore not recommended in people with a history of mental health problems or epilepsy. [4] It appears to be safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. [1] Mefloquine was developed by the United States Army in the 1970s and came into use in the mid-1980s. [5] [6] [7] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.