Women with epilepsy warned of drug risk when pregnant

Dr. Samuel Wiebe / Photo by: Chris KindratskyCalgary researcher co-author of new guidelines

April 27, 2009

New guidelines for pregnant women with epilepsy show it is relatively safe for them to become pregnant, but recommend that if possible, they avoid taking the drug Valproate while pregnant. UCalgary researcher Dr. Samuel Wiebe is part of a group of international experts who developed the guidelines. The research is published in the Monday, April 27, 2009 online issue of Neurology®  the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

“The guidelines are important because they send a clear message, based on evidence, that women with epilepsy can safely become pregnant if they follow our findings,” says Wiebe, a neurologist and professor at the Faculty of Medicine.

The guidelines show that women with epilepsy are not at a substantially increased risk of having a C-section, premature contractions, or premature labor and delivery. The guidelines do suggest that if possible, epileptic women not take more than one epilepsy drug at a time while pregnant since this creates a higher risk of having a baby with birth defects than taking only one medication.

To develop the guidelines, the authors reviewed all scientific studies available on the topic. Wiebe, who is the Director of the Clinical Research Unit at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI), was responsible for the methodology of this research. He says after a year of collaborative work it is exciting to be able to pass this information on to those who need it.

“It is hugely satisfying to prepare these materials and present a message in lay terms for the general physicians and obstetricians who treat these women,” he says. “It’s also important for the women themselves to read the guidelines and understand.”

Wiebe is known internationally for his research on epilepsy.  He was the first scientist to prove that surgery can be more effective than drug therapy in treating some patients with the neurological disorder. He studies the health issues of epilepsy patients, and evaluates the safety and cost-effectiveness of certain epilepsy treatments.

Wiebe is a professor in the Departments of Clinical Neurosciences, Paediatrics and Community Health Sciences. He is Head of the Division of Neurology, Alberta Health Services, Calgary.  His research is supported by the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) and he is the Kinsmen Chair in Paediatric Neurosciences.