Table 1

Baseline characteristics according to AED use during pregnancy

LamotrigineCarbamazepineClonazepamGabapentinLevetiracetam
Number of exposed pregnancies29165021246378621
Median follow-up (years) (IQR)3.5 (2.7 to 4.5)3.8 (2.8 to 4.7)4.8 (4.1 to 5.3)3.4 (2.5 to 4.3)3.4 (2.6 to 4.4)
Maternal age at birth (years)<25431 (14.8)51 (10.2)***118 (9.5)***32 (8.5)***119 (19.2)**
25–30927 (31.8)119 (23.7)302 (24.2)90 (23.8)212 (34.1)
30–35980 (33.6)168 (33.5)380 (30.5)125 (33.1)181 (29.1)
≥35578 (19.8)164 (32.7)446 (35.8)131 (34.7)109 (17.6)
Eligibility for CMU-C461 (15.8)98 (19.5)*303 (24.3)***82 (21.7)**134 (21.6)***
History of mental and behavioural disorders368 (12.6)104 (20.7)***216 (17.3)***43 (11.4)NS51 (8.2)**
Proxy for alcohol intake35 (1.2)7 (1.4)NS35 (2.8)***6 (1.6)NS13 (2.1)NS
Proxy for smoking311 (10.7)59 (11.8)NS165 (13.2)*66 (17.5)***69 (11.1)NS
Folic acid supplementation2026 (69.5)281 (56.0)***360 (28.9)***139 (36.8)***396 (63.8)**
SSRIs during pregnancy210 (7.2)42 (8.4)NS201 (16.1)***42 (11.1)**23 (3.7)**
History of antipsychotic use227 (7.8)64 (12.7)***123 (9.9)*24 (6.3)NS15 (2.4)***
Number of psychiatric medications†01641 (56.3)265 (52.8)*492 (39.5)***157 (41.5)***366 (58.9)NS
1669 (22.9)107 (21.3)283 (22.7)91 (24.1)138 (22.2)
2258 (8.8)42 (8.4)149 (12.0)49 (13.0)54 (8.7)
3–4211 (7.2)52 (10.4)183 (14.7)54 (14.3)39 (6.3)
≥5137 (4.7)36 (7.2)139 (11.2)27 (7.1)24 (3.9)
Gestational age (weeks after LMP)<3211 (0.4)3 (0.6)NS10 (0.8)NS2 (0.5)***7 (1.1)NS
32–3542 (1.4)8 (1.6)28 (2.2)23 (6.1)11 (1.8)
35–37129 (4.4)14 (2.8)55 (4.4)21 (5.6)33 (5.3)
≥372734 (93.8)477 (95.0)1153 (92.5)332 (87.8)570 (91.8)
Gender (male)1524 (52.3)265 (52.8)NS597 (47.9)*206 (54.5)NS292 (47.0)*
Birth weight<2500179 (6.1)35 (7.0)NS105 (8.4)*47 (12.4)***60 (9.7)***
2500–3000630 (21.6)110 (21.9)278 (22.3)73 (19.3)152 (24.5)
3000–35001196 (41.0)182 (36.3)485 (38.9)140 (37.0)251 (40.4)
≥3500911 (31.2)175 (34.9)378 (30.3)118 (31.2)158 (25.4)
OxcarbazepinePregabalinTopiramateValproic acid
Number of exposed pregnancies1431627477991
Median follow-up (years) (IQR)4.0 (2.7 to 4.8)3.3 (2.5 to 4.3)3.6 (2.6 to 4.6)3.9 (2.8 to 4.8)
Maternal age at birth (years)<2523 (16.1)NS139 (8.5)***66 (13.8)NS137 (13.8)***
25–3032 (22.4)414 (25.4)144 (30.2)259 (26.1)
30–3552 (36.4)495 (30.4)153 (32.1)310 (31.3)
≥3536 (25.2)579 (35.6)114 (23.9)285 (28.8)
Eligibility for CMU-C36 (25.2)**404 (24.8)***79 (16.6)NS311 (31.4)***
History of mental and behavioural disorders36 (25.2)***169 (10.4)*54 (11.3)NS96 (9.7)*
Proxy for alcohol intake1 (0.7)NS21 (1.3)NS7 (1.5)NS22 (2.2)*
Proxy for smoking13 (9.1)NS257 (15.8)***43 (9.0)NS136 (13.7)**
Folic acid supplementation89 (62.2)NS440 (27.0)***179 (37.5)***525 (53.0)***
SSRIs during pregnancy22 (15.4)***172 (10.6)***55 (11.5)**33 (3.3)***
History of antipsychotic use31 (21.7)***79 (4.9)***30 (6.3)NS49 (4.9)**
Number of psychiatric medications†065 (45.5)***701 (43.1)***217 (45.5)***653 (65.9)***
133 (23.1)355 (21.8)92 (19.3)180 (18.2)
214 (9.8)227 (14.0)69 (14.5)67 (6.8)
3–49 (6.3)216 (13.3)68 (14.3)45 (4.5)
≥522 (15.4)128 (7.9)31 (6.5)46 (4.6)
Gestational age (weeks after LMP)<321 (0.7)NS12 (0.7)*7 (1.5)*7 (0.7)NS
32–353 (2.1)37 (2.3)10 (2.1)19 (1.9)
35–376 (4.2)61 (3.7)19 (4.0)45 (4.5)
≥37133 (93.0)1517 (93.2)441 (92.5)920 (92.8)
Gender (male)65 (45.5)NS847 (52.1)NS254 (53.2)NS496 (50.1)NS
Birth weight<250012 (8.4)NS118 (7.3)NS32 (6.7)NS88 (8.9)*
2500–300030 (21.0)324 (19.9)90 (18.9)227 (22.9)
3000–350060 (42.0)630 (38.7)203 (42.6)389 (39.3)
≥350041 (28.7)555 (34.1)152 (31.9)287 (29.0)
  • Figures are N (%).

  • *P<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001.

  • †Number of fifth-level ATC classes of psychiatric medications to whom mothers were exposed in the year before pregnancy.

  • AED, antiepileptic drug; ATC, Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical; CMU- C, complementary universal health insurance for low-income people; IQR, interquartile range; LMP, last menstrual period; NS, not significant; SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.