Impact of planning of pregnancy in women with epilepsy on seizure control during pregnancy and on maternal and neonatal outcomes

PURPOSE

To investigate whether planning of pregnancy in women with epilepsy affects seizure control during pregnancy and to compare the maternal and neonatal outcomes in planned and unplanned pregnancies.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of 153 pregnant women with epilepsy who were treated at the University of Tsukuba Hospital and Hokkaido University Hospital between 2003 and 2011. Twenty-one pregnancies were excluded due to insufficient data. Data of patients followed by neurologists during their planned pregnancies (planned-pregnancy group, n=51) were compared to those of patients referred to neurologists after conception for managing epilepsy during pregnancy (unplanned-pregnancy group, n=81). The treatment profile for epilepsy, seizure control, and maternal and neonatal outcomes in both groups were compared using Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS

Compared to the unplanned-pregnancy group, the planned-pregnancy group showed a significantly greater proportion of patients receiving monotherapy with antiepileptic drugs (80% vs. 61%: planned vs. unplanned, P=0.049) and those not requiring valproic acid (77% vs. 56%, P=0.031). Furthermore, the frequency of epileptic seizures (16% vs. 35%, P=0.018) and changes in antiepileptic drugs (24% vs. 41%, P=0.042) were significantly lower in the planned-pregnancy group than in the unplanned-pregnancy group. No significant intergroup differences were noted in the obstetric complications and neonatal outcomes, including congenital malformations.

CONCLUSION

For women with epilepsy, planning of pregnancy is associated with good seizure control during pregnancy and less fetal exposure to antiepileptic drugs.

Leflunomide use during pregnancy and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes

OBJECTIVES

Leflunomide is known to be embryotoxic and teratogenic in rodents. However, there is less evidence in humans. We quantified the risk of major congenital malformation (MCM), prematurity, low birth weight (LBW) and spontaneous abortion associated with leflunomide exposure during pregnancy in humans.

METHODS

From a cohort of 289 688 pregnancies in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from 1998 to 2015, first-trimester leflunomide exposure and other antirheumatic drug exposures were studied for their association with MCM and spontaneous abortions. Also second or third-trimester leflunomide exposures were examined for associations with prematurity and LBW. Logistic regression model-based generalised estimating equations were used.

RESULTS

51 pregnancies were exposed to leflunomide during the first trimester, and 21 during the second/third trimesters. Adjusting for potential confounders, use of leflunomide during the first trimester of pregnancy was not associated with the risk of MCM (adjusted OR (aOR) 0.97, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.16; 5 exposed cases). No association was found between second/third-trimester exposure to leflunomide and the risk of prematurity (aOR 4.03, 95% CI 0.91 to 17.85; 7 exposed cases) nor LBW (aOR 1.06, 95%CI 0.90 to 1.25; 8 exposed cases). Pregnancy exposure to leflunomide was also not associated with the risk of spontaneous abortion (aOR 1.09, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.32; 11 exposed cases).

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal exposure to leflunomide during pregnancy was not associated with statistically significant increased risk of MCMs, prematurity, LBW or spontaneous abortions. However, given that relatively few women were exposed to leflunomide during pregnancy in this cohort, caution remains warranted.

Treatment and care of women with epilepsy before, during, and after pregnancy: a practical guide

Women with epilepsy (WWE) wishing for a child represent a highly relevant subgroup of epilepsy patients. The treating epileptologist needs to delineate the epilepsy syndrome and choose the appropriate anti-seizure medication (ASM) considering the main goal of seizure freedom, teratogenic risks, changes in drug metabolism during pregnancy and postpartum, demanding for up-titration during and down-titration after pregnancy. Folic acid or vitamin K supplements and breastfeeding are also discussed in this review. Lamotrigine and levetiracetam have the lowest teratogenic potential. Data on teratogenic risks are also favorable for oxcarbazepine, whereas topiramate tends to have an unfavorable profile. Valproate needs special emphasis. It is most effective in generalized seizures but should be avoided whenever possible due to its teratogenic effects and the negative impact on neuropsychological development of in utero-exposed children. Valproate still has its justification in patients not achieving seizure freedom with other ASMs or if a woman decides to or cannot become pregnant for any reason. When valproate is the most appropriate treatment option, the patient and caregiver must be fully informed of the risks associated with its use during pregnancies. Folate supplementation is recommended to reduce the risk of major congenital malformations. However, there is insufficient information to address the optimal dose and it is unclear whether higher doses offer greater protection. There is currently no general recommendation for a peripartum vitamin K prophylaxis. During pregnancy most ASMs (e.g. lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, and levetiracetam) need to be increased to compensate for the decline in serum levels; exceptions are valproate and carbamazepine. Postpartum, baseline levels are reached relatively fast, and down-titration is performed empirically. Many ASMs in monotherapy are (moderately) safe for breastfeeding and women should be encouraged to do so. This review provides a practically oriented overview of the complex management of WWE before, during, and after pregnancy.

Therapeutic strategies for treating epilepsy during pregnancy

INTRODUCTION

Counseling for women with epilepsy of childbearing potential surrounding pregnancy issues is of the utmost importance and should be done when antiepileptic medications are prescribed and reviewed regularly at clinic visits. Physicians must be familiar with risks associated with antiepileptic medication, and endeavor to minimize risks to a fetus while selecting best medications for epilepsy type.

AREAS COVERED

The authors discuss the role of folic acid, updated evidence relating to the occurrence of major congenital malformations and neurocognitive risks associated with antiepileptic medication. They also examine the rationale for monitoring drug levels, optimum delivery strategies, and evidence for the safety of breastfeeding while taking antiepileptic medication.

EXPERT OPINION

Valproate carries the highest known teratogenic risk in pregnancy and should only be prescribed to women of child-bearing potential in a specialist setting. There is a need for the ongoing register collection of risks associated with newer AEDs which lack substantial (major) data. Choosing these newer medications can create a dilemma for physicians, particularly when seizures are not well controlled or where treatment options are limited. The authors advocate a multidisciplinary team approach to managing women with epilepsy so that pregnancies in such women can be well managed in an optimum and individualized fashion.

Shifting Valproic Acid to Levetiracetam in Women of Childbearing Age With Epilepsy: A Retrospective Investigation and Review of the Literature

Objective: Valproic acid is the most high-risk teratogenic antiepileptic drug, and it may lead to fetal major congenital malformations. However, it is still used in women of childbearing age with epilepsy. The aim of this study was to report our experience of discontinuing or lowering valproic acid by adding levetiracetam, a low-risk teratogenic antiepileptic drug.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of childbearing age female patients with epilepsy who were treated with valproic acid initially and then switched to levetiracetam. The clinical profiles were recorded. The primary outcome was successful switching, which was defined as a decrease in the daily valproic acid dosage, after levetiracetam had been added.

Results: Twenty-four female patients were enrolled (median age 22 years). The successful switching rate was 83.3% (20/24), and 55% (11/20) discontinued valproic acid after levetiracetam had been added. There were no significant differences between the successful and unsuccessful groups in etiology, electroencephalogram, and magnetic resonance imaging findings. Pharmacoresistant to levetiracetam was much higher in the unsuccessful group (45 vs. 100%). The median switching duration was 19.5 months in the successful group. There were improvements in metrorrhagia and alopecia in all of the patients in the successful group after valproic acid had been tapered.

Conclusions: Our experience supports switching valproic acid to levetiracetam in childbearing age women with epilepsy as an effective strategy to lower the teratogenic rate and adverse effects. A long switching period was noted in this study. We suggest starting early in childbearing age women with epilepsy.

Major congenital malformations in offspring of women with chronic diseases-impact of the disease or the treatment?

In a narrative review, we summarized previous findings on the risk of major congenital malformations in offspring of women with chronic hypertension, hypothyroidism, or depression compared with the background population, and evaluated whether exposure to medical treatment in the first trimester affected this risk. In a literature search in the PubMed database, cohort studies were included if they were published from 2010 to 2022 and contained data on major congenital malformations from ≥500 offspring of women with chronic hypertension, hypothyroidism, or depression during the first trimester of pregnancy, and data on both untreated and treated women. Data were compared with the background population of women without these diseases. In total, 7 cohort studies were identified. In comparison with the background population, 2 studies including 54,996 offspring of women with chronic hypertension showed an adjusted odds ratio of 1.20 to 1.30 for major congenital malformations in the offspring, regardless of antihypertensive treatment. One study including 16,364 offspring of women with hypothyroidism showed an adjusted odds ratio of 1.14 (1.06-1.22) for major congenital malformations in the offspring, regardless of thyroid substitution. Four studies including 48,913 offspring of women with depression showed adjusted odds ratios of 1.07 to 1.27 (0.91-1.78) for major congenital malformations in the offspring of untreated women. Three of these 4 studies showed similar prevalence of malformations in women treated for depression. The findings of this narrative review suggest that chronic hypertension and hypothyroidism, rather than exposure to their medical treatments in the first trimester, were associated with increased risk of major congenital malformations, whereas depression was generally not associated with major congenital malformations.

Pregnancy and fetal outcomes following maternal exposure to glatiramer acetate in all three trimesters of pregnancy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Data on disease-modifying therapy (DMT) exposure throughout pregnancy in patients with multiple sclerosis are scarce. In this analysis, we assessed pregnancy and fetal outcomes following maternal glatiramer acetate (GA) exposure in all three trimesters among cases reported between 1997 and 2020.

METHODS

Pregnancy reports of maternal in utero exposure to 20 and 40 mg/mL GA in all three trimesters from 1997 to 2020 were eligible. Both prospective pregnancy data, reported prior to knowledge of pregnancy outcome, and retrospective data were included. The primary endpoint was major congenital malformations (MCMs) based on the European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies and Twins (EUROCAT) classification. Additional endpoints included fetal death, preterm birth, and low birth weight. The MCM rate was compared to the EUROCAT background rate.

RESULTS

A total of 618 GA-exposed pregnancies in all three trimesters resulted in 634 fetuses, including 14 twin pregnancies. One fetal death was reported. All 414 fetuses with data reported prior to knowledge of pregnancy outcome (prospective data) were live births and no fetal death was reported. Preterm birth was reported in 23/213 (10.8%) pregnancies with known gestational age. Low birth weight was reported in 13/203 (6.4%) infants with known birth weight. The prevalence of MCM in prospective live births ranged from 2.2% to 2.4%, which was similar to background rates (2.1%-3.0%). The frequency of these pregnancy and infant outcomes was comparable across GA doses.

CONCLUSIONS

In utero exposure to 20 and 40 mg/mL GA in three trimesters of pregnancy does not appear to be related to adverse pregnancy or infant outcomes.