Study Shows Lamotrigine Poses Low Risk of Major Birth Defects

By betweenUs staff
Posted: March 23, 2005

A study published in the March 22 issue of the medical journal Neurology reported that there are minimal risks of a birth defect when pregnant women with epilepsy take Lamotrigine (Lamictal).

Researchers studied 414 pregnancies where the fetus was exposed to Lamotrigine in the first trimester. Twelve cases of major birth defects were discovered. The researchers reported that this is equal to a 2.9 percent risk, which is about the same as the rate for the general population.

"Even though the number of women enrolled in this study was large, the number of pregnancies is still too small to give us absolute answers," said Patricia Penovich, M.D., of the Minnesota Epilepsy Group PA. "But the results can be somewhat reassuring to women."

This study also reaffirmed the already-known high risks that come with taking valproic acid or sodium valproate while pregnant. The researchers reported that risks of birth defects jumped up to 12.5 percent if women taking Lamotrigine also took valproic acid.