Lamotrigine and twin pregnancy, incidental event or possible correlation?

Seizure. 2009 Oct;18(8):580-2. doi: 10.1016/j.seizure.2009.06.004. Epub 2009 Jul 8.

Abstract

Lamotrigine is frequently used to manage epilepsy during pregnancy. However, some major and minor birth defects are reported with lamotrigine monotherapy. This study is a case series report on 20 epileptic women who were receiving lamotrigine in their pregnancy. Apart from the normal pregnancies and births, in our study three patients gave birth to healthy twins, two vanished twin syndromes occurred and one patient had abortion. Twin pregnancy in association with lamotrigine therapy has not been clearly described before. Our observational study raises the idea that lamotrigine may induce twin pregnancy but larger studies need to investigate the presence or absence of such association more decently.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anticonvulsants / adverse effects*
  • Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use*
  • Epilepsy / drug therapy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lamotrigine
  • Pregnancy
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Triazines / adverse effects*
  • Triazines / therapeutic use*
  • Twins / drug effects*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Triazines
  • Lamotrigine