The FDA is reminding health care professionals of the risk of major birth defects (MBDs) in babies exposed to one of the few medications to be FDA approved for Migraine prevention during the mother's pregnancy.
Valproate sodium and related medications subject to this warning include:
- divalproex sodium: Depakote, Depakote CP, Depakote ER
- valproate sodium: Depacon
- valproic acid: Depakene and Stavzor
Women who take these medications during pregnancy have an increased risk of giving birth to children with neural tube defects and other major birth defects, such as craniofacial defects and cardiovascular malformations. In the United States, about 1 in 1,500 babies is born with a neural tube defect. The risk of neural tube defects is much higher in babies born to mothers treated with valproate during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, with the risk increasing to 1 in 20 babies...
Learn more in our article Valproate Medications, Pregnancy, and Migraine.
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© Teri Robert, 2009Last updated December 7, 2009
