Information on epilepsy in pregnancy

Breast feeding National Maternity Hospital

Usually, it is safe to breastfeed your baby while taking anti-epileptic medication.

A small amount of medicine will pass into your breast milk but this is usually not harmful as your baby will be used to the medicine while in your womb.

However, if your baby is struggling to feed, hard to wake or develops a rash contact your doctor.

Epilepsy in pregnancy

Epilepsy and pregnancy When you discover you are pregnant it is very important that you continue taking your anti-epileptic medication at your usual dose. Contact your doctor or epilepsy specialist to discuss your pregnancy.

Most women with epilepsy will have a healthy pregnancy and go on to have a healthy baby. However, as pregnancy can cause physical and emotional stress, and increased tiredness, seizures may become more frequent. If this occurs contact your doctor or epilepsy specialist.

Hospital visits Inform your doctor, midwife and pharmacist that you

have epilepsy Always bring your anti-epileptic medicines with you and take extra care to ensure you are taking these medications for the duration of your journey through the NMH. Missed doses may increase the chance of having a seizure, particularly around the time of labour and shortly after Some medications usually prescribed during labour, such as pethidine, are not suitable for women with epilepsy so alternative medicines will be administered.

Anti-Epileptic Medications �

While anti-epileptic medication taken during pregnancy can affect some babies, these medicines may not harm your baby as much as having seizures during the pregnancy. Research has shown there is a slightly increased risk of your child not developing normally if you have taken some types of anti-epileptic medications during pregnancy. These problems include spina bifida, cleft lip or palate, or heart defects. The risk to your baby is higher with sodium valproate (Epilim®) than other anti-epileptic medications.

To reduce these risks it is important to contact your epilepsy specialist if you are planning to get pregnant. If you are taking anti-epileptic medication you will need to take folic acid 5mg tablets once a day as soon as you start trying for a baby. You will need a prescription for these tablets.