Carbamazepine Exposure In Utero Results in Poor Academic Performance in Adolescence

Background: The prevalence of epilepsy is high during childbearing years. Carbamazepine, a commonly used antiseizure medication, has been associated with teratogenicity in the offspring of women who take this medication while pregnant. Objective: To determine whether the offspring of mothers who used carbamazepine during pregnancy had worse academic performance in adolescence. Design: Cohort study that looked at all single live births in Denmark between 1996 and 2002. Methods: Only those offspring who took a standard math and Danish examination at the end of their 9 th grade education were included, as well as only those born to mothers who took carbamazepine during pregnancy. These mothers may have taken carbamazepine for epilepsy or other indications. In utero exposure to valproate and lamotrigine was used as controls. Because of the medical care delivery system in Denmark, information as to who uses prescribed medications is available. The definition of in utero exposure included more...