Maternal epilepsy and prenatal antiepileptic drug exposure: Relationships with neurodevelopmental outcomes in preschool-aged children

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the associations of maternal epilepsy and prenatal antiepileptic drug (AED) exposure with neurodevelopmental outcomes in preschool-aged children, with a particular focus on adaptive functioning, emotional and behavioral problems, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS: This retrospective, case-control study included 53 children aged 2-6 years born to mothers with epilepsy and 53 age- and sex-matched controls whose mothers had no history of epilepsy or other chronic illness. Developmental outcomes and emotional problems were assessed using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-II (VABS-II), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and the Autism Behavior Checklist. Three cases of ASD were identified, all in the AED-exposed group. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal epilepsy and prenatal AED exposure may be associated with differences in adaptive functioning and behavioral outcomes in preschool-aged children. These findings should be interpreted cautiously given the observational design and potential residual confounding.