Congenital malformations in the offspring of epileptic mothers with and without anticonvulsant treatment]

To determine the prevalence at birth and type of congenital malformations (CM) in newborns of epileptic mothers (NEM) treated and not treated with anticonvulsants, the correlation anticonvulsant/CM and other developmental disorders.Multicenter case-control study, in 166 live births NEM diagnosed in 21 501 newborns with CM and respective controls from the Registro y Vigilancia Epidemiológica de Malformaciones Congénitas (RYVEMCE).The frequency of CM in NEM treated with anticonvulsants was higher (48.3%) than in NEM of untreated mothers (28.3%), (OR= 2.37 IC95% 1.08-5.40), p=0.03. CMs most frequently found were: spina bifida, limb reduction defects, cleft lip palate, microcephaly, anotia/microtia, hypospadias, polydactyly, cleft palate, anophthalmia/ microphthalmia and omphalocele. No differences among monotherapy and polytherapy were observed. Diphenyl-hydantoin, carbamazepine and valproic acid were the most frequently anticonvulsants used.Our results show the teratogenicity of epilepsy by itself, the synergistic effect of some anticonvulsants, and the need of an appropriate periconceptional control of the disease and treatment.