Targeted Delivery Of Carbamazepine For Improved Antiepileptic Drug Therapy During Pregnancy

Because uncontrolled seizures during pregnancy can lead to serious consequences for both mother and child, pregnant women with epilepsy should continue their anti-seizure medication throughout pregnancy. However, prenatal exposure to such drugs is linked to increased risks for birth defects. The goal of this project is to develop nanoparticles that will accumulate in the brain to treat the epilepsy and thereby reduce the amount of medication crossing the placenta and affecting the baby’s development. If successful, this work will lay the foundation for preventing seizures in the mother while decreasing the risk of birth defects to the unborn child.