Fourtg pregnant adurtfemate arbtno rats u)ere used. in this studq . sodium
ualproate administered" orailg to pregnant rats at a dose oJ 4oo mg /
kg /dag on dag 1 to is oJ gestation . AIL anim..b were ktlled. orue d_ag be-
Jore birth The number oJ resorptions, Jetal suruiuars, Jetal ,serghts"
crown-ntmp Lengttrs and maternal bodg tueight gains were d-eterminedand
tlrc Jetuses LDere examined,J-or external, intemal and. skeletcil malformations
. There tuere instgni.f.cant changes in resorption a_nd, suruiual
rates and Jetal bodg tueights significant increase tn m,.terr...l bod.g
weight gain and significant shortening oJ the croun-rLLmp tength LDere recorded
. A higll incidence oJ skeletal abnorrnaliiles as short neck, sprna
bt-fi-da' absence oJ angLe oJ marudible and- absence oJ ossqfic centres in
Iimbs r-uas obserued". Thus , The tLse oJ sodtum uarproate tn pregnancg cts
an antiepttepttc mag be assocrat ed. tutth an increase in the tncidence oJ Je- tal mct"lJormation and toxic effects. rt us fhus uery important to protect the
Jetus Jrom sodium ualproate exposure.