Studies show that children born from women with epilepsy have an increased risk for congenital malformations. These malformations are most likely connected to the antiepileptic drugs or AEDs that the mother was exposed to during pregnancy.
An article from the Tampere school of Public Health, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland, titled “Congenital Structural Anomalies in Offspring of Women with Epilepsy”, written by Artama M. states that “We conducted this population-based study to obtain valid and accurate estimates on major congenital malformations in the offspring of women with epilepsy, based on a large and representative patient cohort.” The study identified 6,535 women who were all entitled for antiepileptic medication for epilepsy between 1985 and 1994. This is information was retrieved from the Social Insurance Institution of Finland database. A reference group of 14,704 people was identified from the Finnish Population Register Centre. A patient group of 2,162 people and a reference group of 5,413 people was gathered from the Medical Birth Register on children born between 1993 and 2000. Lastly, a patient group of 116 and a reference group of 151 about children born with malformations was obtained from the Finnish Register of Congenital Malformations.
Author Artama M. further explains the results, stating, “The prevalence of major malformation was 54/1,000 births among patients with epilepsy and 28/1,000 births among mothers without epilepsy, corresponding to a 2-fold overall risk for malformation in the offspring of women with epilepsy.” (emphasis added)
Data from this study further concluded that the risk for the offspring of mothers exposed to antiepileptic drugs to develope spina bifida or congenital anomalies of genital organs. The highest rate of congenital malformations in children born to epileptic mothers was about 26 in 1,000 children.
The type of AEDs most associated with these and other congenital malformations are those containing sodium valproate, the active ingredient in Depacon Depakene, and Depakote (manufactured by Abbott Laboratories). Due to the fact that Abbott failed time and again to make clear the risk for birth defects associated with Depacon (and others), a number of Depacon / Depakene / Depakote lawsuits are currently being filed.
If you or a loved one used Depacon or another AED during pregnancy and your child was born with a congenital malformation, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation for the undue injury to your child.
For more information regarding Depacon or Depacon lawsuits, please do not hesitate to contact our team of Depacon lawyers at the information provided below. We have the skills, resources, and experience required to fight even the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers and win the justice you deserve.
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Our Depacon Lawsuit Information page is a great place to start if you have any questions about Depacon.