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Valproic Acid in Women and Girls of Childbearing Age

  • Complex Medical-Psychiatric Issues (M Riba, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Psychiatry Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

The aim of this paper is to evaluate recent literature on valproic acid (VPA) in women and girls of childbearing age and to emphasize new findings.

Recent Findings

Recent research confirms VPAs teratogenicity and risk of hormone disruption. VPA exposure in utero increases the risk for a variety of major congenital malformations (MCMs), reduced IQ and behavioral problems. In girls and women, VPA increases the risk of hormone abnormalities, obesity, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Despite guidelines recommending caution, VPA use continues to be prescribed to reproductive-aged women and girls.

Summary

Despite significant and well-documented risk, adherence to guidelines in VPA use in reproductive-aged girls and women remains low.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: •• Of major importance

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Acknowledgements

The editors would like to thank Dr. Neil S. Talon for taking the time to review this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Michigan Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Dorothy Gotlib, Alana DeRiggi & Michelle Riba

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Loyola University, Tampa, FL, USA

    Rachel Ramaswamy

  3. Michigan Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Jacob E. Kurlander

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  1. Dorothy Gotlib
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  2. Rachel Ramaswamy
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  3. Jacob E. Kurlander
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  4. Alana DeRiggi
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Correspondence to Dorothy Gotlib.

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Dorothy Gotlib, Rachel Ramaswamy, Jacob E. Kurlander, and Alana DeRiggi declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Michelle Riba was an expert witness related to this topic area.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Complex Medical-Psychiatric Issues

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Gotlib, D., Ramaswamy, R., Kurlander, J.E. et al. Valproic Acid in Women and Girls of Childbearing Age. Curr Psychiatry Rep 19, 58 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-017-0809-3

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