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Congenital Malformations Associated with Maternal Use of Valproic Acid

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

Celine Huot ,
Marie Gauthier ,
Marc Lebel  and
Albert Larbrisseau
Celine Huot
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Hôpital Sainte-Justine, University of Montréal
Marie Gauthier*
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Hôpital Sainte-Justine, University of Montréal
Marc Lebel
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Hôpital Sainte-Justine, University of Montréal
Albert Larbrisseau
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Hôpital Sainte-Justine, University of Montréal
*
Department of Pediatrics, Hôpital Sainte-Justine, 3175 Cote Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3T 1C5
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Abstract:

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Two children born with birth defects after intrauterine exposure to valproic acid are reported. The mothers took the drug throughout pregnancy as sole treatment for primary generalized epilepsy. The first baby showed facial dysmorphism, arachnodactyly and triphalangeal thumbs. The second had facial dysmorphism, severe laryngeal hypoplasia, tracheomalacia and an aberrant innominate artery that caused tracheal compression. A left superior vena cava, abnormal pulmonary lobulation, and unilateral hydronephrosis were also found at autopsy. Valproic acid has probable teratogenic potential in humans but the number of reported cases is few and the spectrum of anomalies is broad so it is not possible to delineate a definite fetal valproate syndrome.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , August 1987 , pp. 290 - 293
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 1987

References

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