Description: Contrary to popular belief, women with epilepsy are not at increased risk of having offspring with major birth defects, provided they do not take antiseizure drugs during pregnancy. "The association of fetal malformations with untreated maternal epilepsy is controversial. From this research, we found no evidence of increased risk for major malformations in offspring of women who did not take anti-epileptic medications during gestation," says researcher Irena Nulman, MD, from Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, in a news release.