Short- and long-term complications of in utero exposure to lamotrigine.

AIMS: The present study evaluates the effect of antenatal lamotrigine exposure, on short- and long-term paediatric outcome.

METHODS: The study included the children of 83 epileptic women treated with lamotrigine during pregnancy, at a tertiary medical centre between 2004-2014. All newborns were monitored for vital signs, congenital malformations and Finnegan score. In addition, the parents completed a questionnaire regarding their child's development and health up to the age of 12 years.

RESULTS: No major malformations were found in the newborns. None of the newborns had significant withdrawal symptoms by Finnegan score. The children were followed-up to the age of 12 years (56.6% were 6-12 years at the time of evaluation). There were no significant findings in the incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders.

CONCLUSIONS: According to our experience, lamotrigine is generally safe for pregnancy use, associated with minimal short-term complications with no long-term effects on the outcome.