Levetiracetam

Date: February 2025, Version 4.0

Quick read

Levetiracetam can be used during pregnancy if recommended by a specialist.

What is it?

Levetiracetam (Keppra®) is a medicine used to treat epilepsy.

Benefits

What are the benefits of taking levetiracetam in pregnancy?

Levetiracetam prevents seizures. It is important that epilepsy is well-controlled in pregnancy as seizures can be dangerous or even life-threatening and can cause pregnancy complications. Effective treatment of epilepsy in pregnancy can also help ensure that you are well enough to look after your newborn baby.

Risks

Are there any risks of taking levetiracetam during pregnancy?

Levetiracetam is not known to harm the baby when used in pregnancy.

Babies exposed to levetiracetam around the time of delivery might have some withdrawal symptoms after birth. These can be treated if necessary and usually pass quickly.

Women taking levetiracetam who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy should be offered high-dose folic acid (5mg per day) by their doctor. This is because folic acid is important for your baby’s development and some anti-seizure medications can affect folic acid levels.

Alternatives

Are there any alternatives to taking levetiracetam?

If you have epilepsy, it is important to take the medication you have been prescribed. Levetiracetam is often used to treat epilepsy in pregnancy because it is thought to be safer for the baby than some other anti-seizure medications.

If you are planning a pregnancy, you should be offered an appointment with your neurologist or specialist epilepsy nurse to determine whether levetiracetam is the most suitable medicine.

If you have an unplanned pregnancy while taking levetiracetam you should be reviewed as soon as possible by your GP or specialist.

No treatment

What if I prefer not to take medicines during pregnancy?

It is very important to take any medicines prescribed to treat epilepsy. Untreated epilepsy can cause seizures which can be dangerous for you and your unborn baby.

Doctors will only prescribe medicines when absolutely necessary and will be happy to talk about any concerns that you might have.

Pregnant women should not stop or reduce the dose of levetiracetam unless this has been advised by their GP or specialist.

Will my baby need extra monitoring?

All pregnant women in the UK will be offered a very detailed anomaly scan at around 20 weeks of pregnancy as part of their routine antenatal care. No extra monitoring for major birth defects is required following levetiracetam use in pregnancy.

Are there any risks to my baby if the father has taken levetiracetam?

We do not expect any increased risk to your baby if the father takes levetiracetam.

Who can I talk to if I have questions?

If you have any questions regarding the information in this leaflet, please discuss them with your health care provider. They can access more detailed medical and scientific information from www.uktis.org.

How can I help to improve drug safety information for pregnant women in the future?

Our online reporting system (MyBump Portal) allows women who are currently pregnant to create a secure record of their pregnancy, collected through a series of questionnaires. You will be asked to enter information about your health, whether or not you take any medicines, your pregnancy outcome and your child's development. You can update your details at any time during pregnancy or afterwards. This information will help us better understand how medicines affect the health of pregnant women and their babies. Please visit the MyBump Portal to register.

General information
Sadly, miscarriage and birth defects can occur in any pregnancy.

Miscarriage occurs in about 1 in every 5 pregnancies, and 1 in every 40 babies are born with a birth defect. This is called the ‘background risk’ and happens whether medication is taken or not.

Most medicines cross the placenta and reach the baby. For many medications this is not a problem. However, some medicines can affect a baby’s growth and development.

If you take regular medication and are planning to conceive, you should discuss whether your medicine is safe to continue with your doctor/health care team before becoming pregnant. If you have an unplanned pregnancy while taking a medicine, you should tell your doctor as soon as possible.

If a new medicine is suggested for you during pregnancy, please make sure that the person prescribing it knows that you are pregnant. If you have any concerns about a medicine, you can check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist.

Our Bumps information leaflets provide information about the effects of medicines in pregnancy so that you can decide, together with your healthcare provider, what is best for you and your baby.