APR Homepage

Australian Pregnancy Register 
for women on antiepileptic medications

ABN: 38 128 668 797 


The Australian Pregnancy Register (APR) is an independent, observational register, collecting information about pregnant women with epilepsy, treated and untreated, to assist in determining which anti-epileptic medications (AEDs) are safest for the baby while protecting the mother from seizures.


This is a voluntary, nationwide study that is enrolling women who are currently pregnant or who have given birth recently (infants up to

12 months of age) in the following categories: 

   >   Women with epilepsy taking AEDs;
   >   Women with epilepsy not taking AEDs;
   >   Women taking AEDs for allied conditions.


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Pregnancy scan

Background

From previous research, it is known that women who are taking an AED may have a slightly higher incidence (4-6%) of having babies with birth defects than the general population (2-3%).

The Australian Pregnancy Register (APR) is an independent project that has been running for over 16 years nationally.  Information from pregnancy registers is a valuable resource for the study of comparative risks and benefits of anti-epileptic drugs in pregnancy.  As a result of this study, we are getting closer to defining safer treatment choices. 

The program needs a significant boost to the number of women participating in the study, as well as increasing the length of the study, to ensure enough evidence is collected for the findings to become treatment guidelines.

In 2015, Epilepsy Action Australia formed a major partnership with the Australian Pregnancy Register to enable the research to continue and increase the number of women registered, aiming to increase 5,000 women.

aims of this project

>  To evaluate the incidence of adverse foetal outcomes resulting
     from pregnancies exposed to antiepileptic drugs (AED);

>  To determine if certain AEDs or combinations are associated 
     with a higher incidence or specific types of adverse pregnancy
     outcomes;
>  To determine the influence of the seizures, the epilepsy type, 
     the genetic background and environmental factors;
>  To study the comparative efficacy of AEDs on seizure protection 
     in pregnancy, assessed on the basis of self reporting and 
     increased dose or additional drug requirements.

IMPORTANT:
DO NOT STOP MEDICATIONS WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING YOUR DOCTOR AS THIS MAY RESULT IN UNCONTROLLED SEIZURES WITH POTENTIALLY SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR BOTH THE MOTHER AND THE UNBORN BABY. 

If you would like more information about the study or to register, please call us on 1800 069 722 or register online. 

PLEASE DONATE TO THIS CAUSE

The APR is independently funded and needs your help!


Your donation will support the costs associated with enrolling women in this study and subsequent data entry required to build and maintain this register.


All donations over $2 are tax deductible.


THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!


DONATE ONLINE
Registered Charity
APR Info

information documents

Enrolment

Pamphlet

Recent findings from data analysis up to November 2019

Antiepileptic Medications (AEDs)

Journal Articles  | Further reading material by the APR

research sponsors

Major Financial Supporter
Epilepsy Action Australia

Epilepsy Society of Australia
Eisai
RMH Neuroscience Foundation
UCB Pharma

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UCB logo
Epilepsy Society of Australia logo
Eisai logo
Sanofi logo

Advisory Board

Frank Vajda

Director & Principal Investigator 

Prof Frank Vajda AO


Principal Investigator 

A/Prof Cecilie Lander AM


Co-Investigator 

Prof Terry O'Brien 


Research Coordinators

Ms Janet Graham

Ms Alison Hitchcock


Treasurer 

Mr Peter Davis OAM

Advisory Board Members 

Dr Andrew Black OAM

Prof Sam Berkovic AC

A/Prof Andrew Bleasel

Prof John Dunne

Prof Mervyn Eadie

A/Prof David Horgan
Dr Michelle Kiley

Mr Raphael Kuhn

Dr Dan McLaughlin

A/Prof Piero Perucca

Prof Ingrid Scheffer AO
Prof Ernest Somerville

A/Prof Lata Vadlamudi

Dr Elizabeth Walker

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