Exposure to antiepileptic drug in womb linked to autism risk

Children whose mothers take the antiepileptic drug sodium valproate while pregnant are at increased risk of autism and other neuro-developmental disorders, scientists at the University of Liverpool have found.

Dr Rebecca Bromley and Professor Gus Baker, from the University's Institute of Translational Medicine, based their findings on children born to 528 pregnant women between 2000 and 2004 in the North West of England.

Just fewer than half the mums had epilepsy, all but 34 of whom took antiepileptic drugs during their pregnancy. Carbamazepine was taken by 59 if the mums that took part in the study; 59 took valproate; 36 took lamotrigine; 41 took a combination of drugs; and 15 took other medication.

The children's physical and intellectual development was assessed at the ages of 12 months, three, and six years. Information was also obtained from their mothers about whether they had consulted specialists about their child's behaviour, development, educational progress or health.

Full data on all three assessments were available for 415 children. In all, 19 children had been diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder by the time they were six years old, three of whom also had a physical abnormality.

Of these, 12 had a form of autism, one of whom was also diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  Three children had ADHD alone, while a further four had dyspraxia, a condition that results in poor physical coordination and excessive clumsiness.