What birth defects cause seizures?
Birth defects — including cleft palate, neural tube defects, skeletal abnormalities, and congenital heart and urinary tract defects — are a few potential side effects associated with anti-seizure medications. The risk seems to increase with higher doses and if you take more than one anti-seizure medication.
What can cause seizure during pregnancy?
Eclampsia is a severe complication of preeclampsia. It’s a rare but serious condition where high blood pressure results in seizures during pregnancy. Seizures are periods of disturbed brain activity that can cause episodes of staring, decreased alertness, and convulsions (violent shaking).
Which antiepileptic is most teratogenic?
Conclusion. Our study has the highest number of dysmorphism examined in literature, found in all the children exposed to valproic acid, which may account for the higher rate of facial dysmorphism and dental anomalies.
Which antiepileptic drugs are teratogenic?
Valproate is the drug with the highest risk, whereas prevalence of MCMs is lowest with lamotrigine, levetiracetam, and oxcarbazepine. For valproate, phenobarbital, phenytoin, carbamazepine, and lamotrigine, the risk of MCMs is dose-dependent.
How common are fetal seizures?
Seizures occur in 0.5% of term infants and 22.2% of preterm infants, though fetal seizures are very rare (4-7). Neonatal seizures are considered important predictors of neurologic diseases and the prognosis depends on several factors (8).
What happens if a pregnant woman has a seizure?
Once you become pregnant, it will be even more important to control your seizures. Having seizures during pregnancy can affect the health of your baby. You might fall, or the baby may be deprived of oxygen during the seizure, which can injure the baby and increase your risk of miscarriage or stillbirth.
What is the teratogenic effect?
Teratogens are drugs, chemicals, or even infections that can cause abnormal fetal development. There are billions of potential teratogens, but only a few agents are proven to have teratogenic effects. These effects can result in a baby being born with a birth defect.
Is vigabatrin teratogenic?
Vigabatrin (VGB) is a relatively recently introduced antiepileptic drug that enhances the brain levels of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA). Few data on its teratogenic effects appear to have been reported.
What are teratogens What are some examples?
A teratogen is something that can cause birth defects or abnormalities in a developing embryo or fetus upon exposure. Teratogens include some medications, recreational drugs, tobacco products, chemicals, alcohol, certain infections, and in some cases, health problems such as uncontrolled diabetes in pregnant people.
What causes a person to have a seizure?
Typically, the known causes of seizure involve some injury to the brain. Some of the main causes of epilepsy include: Low oxygen during birth. Head injuries that occur during birth or from accidents during youth or adulthood. Brain tumors. Genetic conditions that result in brain injury, such as tuberous sclerosis.
Are there any known causes or triggers for epilepsy?
In up to 70% of all case of epilepsy in adults and children, no cause can be discovered. Although the underlying causes of epilepsy are usually not known, certain factors are known to provoke seizures in people with epilepsy. Avoiding these triggers can help you avoid seizures and live better with epilepsy:
Are there any teratogenic drugs in monotherapy?
Most AEDs are teratogenic, although the risk is reduced with monotherapy. Some AEDs are potentially less likely to cause problems, but the risk to the fetus needs to be balanced with the risk of seizures in the mother which puts both the mother and the baby at possible harm.
What are the physical features of teratogens syndrome?
This syndrome is a recognized constellation of physical features including short palpebral fissures, a hypoplastic philtrum, and thin upper lip. Over time, additional features, such as poor growth (leading to short stature and microcephaly) and neurocognitive deficits were recognized.
