All birth injuries cause distress, but injuries linked to medication taken during pregnancy often carry an additional emotional burden. Many mothers wrongly blame themselves, despite relying on medical advice. Following the Thalidomide scandal of the 1950s and 1960s, the UK introduced the Medicines Act 1968 to improve drug safety. Yet more than 50 years later, another serious prescription drug scandal has emerged.
The epilepsy drug Sodium Valproate has been conclusively linked to serious birth defects and developmental disorders, known collectively as Foetal Valproate Syndrome (FVS). Thousands of families across the UK have been affected.
Sodium Valproate is a prescription anticonvulsant medication. Doctors commonly prescribe it to treat:
The drug has been in widespread use since the 1970s under brand names including Epilim, Episenta, and Depakote.
Medical professionals have known for decades that Sodium Valproate poses a significant risk to unborn babies when taken during pregnancy.
According to UK Government guidance:
These include:
Children exposed to Sodium Valproate may experience:
Government data also shows increased risks of:
Research suggests that thousands of UK children have been affected by Foetal Valproate Syndrome since the 1970s. The Epilepsy Society estimates the lifetime cost of harm caused by exposure during pregnancy may reach £2.5 million per child, factoring in healthcare, education, social care, and family impact.
Despite long-standing knowledge of these risks, regulators only introduced formal prescribing restrictions in 2018.
Shockingly:
Families may have grounds to bring a birth injury claim.
To succeed, a claimant must prove that:
The delayed introduction of safeguards, despite known risks since the 1970s, creates potential grounds for negligence claims against healthcare providers and, in some circumstances, manufacturers.
In February 2024, the Patient Safety Commissioner called on the Government to provide financial redress, stating:
This followed the 2020 First Do No Harm report, which made similar recommendations. To date, the Government has refused to establish a compensation scheme, leaving clinical negligence claims as the primary route to justice.
If your child was harmed after exposure to Sodium Valproate during pregnancy, you do not have to face this alone.
Our specialist team can:
We understand the anger, confusion, and betrayal many families feel. Our role is to remove the legal burden and fight for your child’s future.
We offer no win, no fee arrangements for birth injury claims. This means:
Our team has decades of combined experience representing families affected by medication-related birth injuries. We approach every case with compassion, discretion, and determination.
If you were prescribed Sodium Valproate during pregnancy and your child suffered a birth injury, contact us immediately. Early advice can protect your legal position and help secure the support your family needs.
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