• M Cornelissen, R Steegers-Theunissen, L Kollée, T Eskes, G Vogels-Mentink, K Motohara, R De Abreu, and L Monnens.
• Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
• Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 1993 Mar 1; 168 (3 Pt 1): 923-8.

ObjectiveThe null hypothesis of our study is that the incidence of vitamin K deficiency in mother-infant pairs exposed to anticonvulsant drugs is not higher than in controls.Study DesignIn this multicenter observational case-control study, 25 pregnant women receiving anticonvulsant therapy and 25 pregnant controls were studied for PIVKA-II (protein induced by vitamin K absence of factor II) and vitamin K1 concentrations at 32 weeks' gestation and at delivery.ResultsPIVKA-II was detectable in 54% of cord samples of the anticonvulsant group and in 20% of controls (chi 2, p = 0.01). In both groups vitamin K1 cord blood levels were predominantly below the detection limit. Maternal vitamin K1 concentrations were lower in women with epilepsy than in controls (Wilcoxon's rank sum test, p < 0.05), but PIVKA-II was rarely present.ConclusionsThe incidence of vitamin K deficiency is increased in neonates exposed to anticonvulsant drugs prenatally. Their mothers, however, are rarely vitamin K deficient.

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