Women must also be aware of the need to take contraception while on valproate. A risk acknowledgement form must be completed and signed during a review, which must take place at least once a year.
On 24 April 2018, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) changed the licence for valproate medicines in the UK. Valproate must no longer be prescribed to women or girls who are able to become pregnant unless they are on the Pregnancy Prevention Programme (PPP).
Between October 2019 and January 2020, Epilepsy Action worked with Epilepsy Society and Young Epilepsy to conduct another survey of women who have taken or who are taking valproate, since the introduction of the PPP.
