In 2004, a study published in Epilepsy & Behavior demonstrated that the new generation of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) pose less danger to a developing fetus than do older drugs.
This study comes from an Argentinian research team led by Meischenguiser et al. who studied two different groups of children: one group of children whose mothers used old-generation AEDs (phenobarbital, valproate, and carbamazepin), and one cohort of children born to mothers who used newer AEDs, such as oxcarbazepine.
Of the 114 children exposed to mothers who used older AEDs, 16 major congenital malformations were observed, “16 newborns had anomalies: 3 cardiac, 3 skull, and 2 gastrointestinal malformations, and 8 facial dysmorphies.”
Only one child out of 50 children exposed to oxcarbazepine was born with a major congenital malformation. That child’s mother also, however, used old-generation AEDs during pregnancy, and thus it is impossible to tell whether the malformation observed was the result of the older or the newer medication that she used.
Regardless, this small study has effectively demonstrated that if you are epileptic and become pregnant, it may be safer to use newer AEDs rather than older ones. Also, the United States FDA has warned against sodium valproate (Depacon) use during pregnancy. Each year, more studies come out showing the danger associated with old generation AEDs, the most dangerous of which is consistently demonstrated to be sodium valproate (Depacon, Depakene, Depakote).
Depacon has been shown to dramatically raise the risk children face of being born with neurological, cardiovascular, craniofacial birth defects, and autism, but sadly, the manufacturer of this drug, Abbott Laboratories, has failed to make these risks clear to its users.
If you used Depacon unaware of the risks its use carries, and your child was born with a congenital malformation, you may be eligible to file a Depacon lawsuit, seeking compensation for the undue injury Deacon can cause.
For more information on Depacon or Depacon lawsuits, feel free to call or e-mail our team of Depacon lawyers at the phone number or e-mail address provided below. We have the resources and experience to fight even the largest pharmaceutical companies and win the justice you deserve.
(855) 452-5529
Our Depacon Lawsuit Information page is a great place to start if you have any questions about Depacon.