Patient's question:
Our neighbor, Aunt Zhang, said she used to be a patient with epilepsy, but she hasn't had any episodes in recent years. Later, she got married, and we recently saw that she is pregnant. We are all very concerned about her condition. She is still taking epilepsy medication, and we don't know if it will affect the fetus. We would like to consult.Doctor's answer:
Hello, especially for antiepileptic Western medicine, the incidence of fetal teratogenesis is 2.2%—13.8%. Common abnormalities include cleft palate, cleft lip, and heart defects. The incidence of teratogenesis is related to the mother's age, family history, medical history (such as diabetes), and the medication used, especially certain Western medicines. To prevent fetal teratogenesis, it is best to take traditional Chinese medicine. Symptom control should last for more than 3 years, and the mother's age should not exceed 35. If the patient or family has a hereditary genetic disorder, they should not have children. If the patient has had miscarriages, stillbirths, or given birth to abnormal infants, extra caution should be taken with subsequent pregnancies.