Topamax May Raise Risk of Birth Defects

Small Study Shows Increase in Birth Defects When Epilepsy/Migraine Drug Is Used During Pregnancy By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

July 21, 2008 -- The epilepsy and migraine prevention drug Topamax has been linked to an increased risk of birth defects in babies born to epilepsy patients who took it during pregnancy, a small study shows.

In a study published in the latest issue of the journal Neurology, taking Topamax (topiramate) during pregnancy was associated with a birth defect risk within the range of risk seen in other anti-epileptic drugs, researchers reported.

But the incidence of birth defects seen when Topamax was taken with other anti-epileptic drugs was higher than expected.

The study was small, but it is among the first to link Topamax to birth defects in humans, confirming what has been seen in previous animal studies.

"More research needs to be done to confirm these results, especially since it was a small study," researcher John Craig, MRCP, of the Royal Group of Hospitals in Belfast, Northern Ireland said in a news release.

He added that although the study included only epilepsy patients, the results may be of particular relevance for migraine patients "since [Topamax] is also used for preventing migraines, which is an even more common condition that also occurs frequently in women of childbearing age."

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