Epilepsy drug may have autism link

LIVERPOOL, England, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Prenatal exposure to the epilepsy drug valproate may increase a child's risk of autism, a British researcher says.

Lead author Gus Baker of the University of Liverpool said the preliminary results are based on an ongoing study involving 632 children, nearly half of whom were exposed during gestation to epilepsy drugs such as valproate, lamotrigine and carbamazepine.

The study, published in the journal Neurology, found mothers who were given valproate during pregnancy were seven times more likely to develop autism than children of mothers not taking epilepsy drugs. This risk was not seen with the other epilepsy drugs, the researchers said. The children in the study had no known family history of autism.

"The potential risk for autism in this study was substantial for children whose mothers took valproate while pregnant, but more research needs to be done since these are early findings," Baker said in a statement.

"However, women who take valproate while pregnant should be informed of the possible risks of autism and are encouraged to discuss them with their doctor. Those who are taking valproate should not stop their treatment without speaking to their doctor first."