EON

British Scientists Discover Risk Of Birth Defects With Epilepsy Drug

Belfast, Ireland- It is not a good idea for pregnant women to use the epilepsy drug Topamax or the generic form, topiramate, either alone or in combination with other drugs for epilepsy.

The new results show that for women who are pregnant to take Topamax it drastically increases their risk of birth defects in their unborn children.

Until now the link between possible birth defects and the drug Topamax has not been established, nor has it garnered research attention.

There needs to be a lot more research, but early results tend to indicate a causal link between patients who are admitted for pregnancy that have taken Topamax, and that wind up having their baby born with birth defects.

This does not establish for sure that Topamax causes birth defects, but it is a circumstantial set of factors which allow the British team of doctors to draw links between the drugs and birth defects.

The new study which was performed by doctors at the Royal Group of Hospitals in Belfast, North Ireland is being published in the July 22nd issue of the medical journal, Neurology.