Topamax Use in Relation with Birth Defects

 It has been found out that approximately 30 million Americans suffer from migraines and almost 98 percent of those people take medication. Topamax is one of the migraine medications found in the market. This is not used as a relief for migraine; rather it is used to prevent the onset of attacks. Yet as with any other medication, this also has side effects like the formation of craniofacial anomalies when used during pregnancy. A reclassification was made from Pregnancy Category C to Category D by the U.S. FDA as studies have shown that it has positive fetal risk based on the adverse reaction data. Another side effect is that use of Topamax results to unintended weight loss, but that will be discussed in another post.

What are the Reported Congenital Defects?

Oral Clefts (Cleft lip and Cleft Palate)

As what I have previously mentioned, there has been a linked between the formation of craniofacial anomalies such as cleft lip and cleft palate. Cleft lip is described as the inability of the upper lip to fully fuse and it is commonly referred to as harelip. Cleft palate on the other hand is the inability of the palate to fully close upon birth. These defects are considered serious and may affect the child’s growth if medical and surgical attention is delayed. These anomalies can lead to several serious complications such as ear infections, speech problems and hearing loss, and can also interfere with the infant’s nutrition. These deformities can be corrected with surgeries such as cheiloplasty for cleft lip and palatoplasty for the palate. Generally, the surgery has an effect on the child’s speech abilities and the family must closely work with a speech therapist for it to be managed.

Hypospadias

Aside from craniofacial anomalies, hypospadias, a urinary tract disorder is also linked with the use of Topamax. Hypospadias is a condition where the meatus, or opening of the penis, is located beneath the surface of the shaft instead of being at the tip or glans. The extent of this condition can be minimal, where the opening is found near the glans or severe, in which the opening is somewhere on the midshaft or near the scrotal area. Statistics show that 1 of every 300 babies is born with hypospadias and causes can be genetic or multifactorial. Although fairly common in male babies, this has been closely linked with the use of Topamax by pregnant women. A study showed that male babies born to women who took the medication during pregnancy may be more than four times as likely to suffer from the condition. However, this condition can be surgically repaired and prognosis is usually good.

Every mother’s wish is for her baby to grow up as normally and healthy as possible. The mentioned Topamax side effects are to be considered serious as they can greatly affect the child’s normal physical as well as mental development so it is highly advised for women to exercise caution when using medications since it will also affect their baby’s health aside from their own.