Sophie Gardner’s pregnancies were affected by sodium valproate, which she was taking to treat her epilepsy. A doctor advised her that sodium valproate might be one factor affecting both boys’ development. The documents noted that the TGA had reported 109 cases of pregnant Australian women exposed to sodium valproate since 2004. O’Brien acknowledges the “really quite considerable” risks of sodium valproate to unborn children, saying there is “a whole variety of different types of birth defects … across virtually every system”. “For some people, sodium valproate is the only drug that can adequately control their seizures,” he says.

Source: The Guardian November 23, 2024 21:52 UTC