Does maternal epilepsy medication cause cerebral palsy?
Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect a child’s movement and muscle tone due to brain damage before, during, or shortly after birth. Many factors can raise the risk of cerebral palsy, such as perinatal asphyxia, infections during pregnancy, premature birth, and maternal health conditions. Epilepsy medications taken by mothers are not directly listed as a cause in medical studies, but epilepsy itself and related pregnancy issues can play a role in brain injury risks.
Epilepsy in mothers means they often take drugs like antiepileptics to control seizures. These help prevent harm from uncontrolled seizures, but the question is whether the medications themselves lead to cerebral palsy in babies. Research does not show a clear direct link. Instead, studies point to other pregnancy complications tied to epilepsy or similar conditions. For example, eclampsia, which involves seizures in pregnancy, links to brain issues like cerebral edema or hemorrhage that could affect the baby. Magnesium sulfate, used to stop these seizures, actually lowers the risk of cerebral palsy and death in children up to age two.
Perinatal asphyxia, or lack of oxygen at birth, is a strong risk factor for cerebral palsy. One study found a specific gene variant in the MMP2 promoter more common in babies who develop cerebral palsy after this event. These children also had higher rates of epilepsy later on. Epilepsy often appears as a comorbidity in kids with cerebral palsy, not the other way around.
Maternal infections or conditions like obesity can send inflammatory proteins to the baby’s brain, causing damage that leads to cerebral palsy. Premature birth, common in high-risk pregnancies, is another major factor. Doctors use prenatal care to spot these risks early, including tests for infections and monitoring for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
No studies in the available data directly blame epilepsy medications for causing cerebral palsy. The focus is on preventing seizures and complications during pregnancy to protect the baby’s brain. Close medical watch helps manage risks from epilepsy or other issues.
Sources
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12731818/
https://www.medlink.com/articles/seizures-associated-with-eclampsia
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12748543/
https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000214509
https://www.nationalbirthinjurylaw.com/cerebral-palsy
https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jcv2.70080
https://www.endocrinologyadvisor.com/news/maternal-obesity-neurodevelopmental-disorders/
