Valproate Prescribing in Female Patients Under 55

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About this dashboard

Working in collaboration with NHS England and NHS Improvement Valproate Safety Implementation Group (VSIG), we’ve developed a set of prescribing indicators to track the use of valproate medicines among women of childbearing potential (WCP).

For the purposes of these comparators, WCP are interpreted as females between the ages of 13 and 54 years. Information is also provided on valproate prescribing for girls between the ages of 0 and 12 who may continue treatment in later years.

Valproate prescribing in pregnancy has been shown to increase the risk of physical birth defects and neurodevelopmental disorders in unborn babies. Guidance from MHRA suggests that valproate should not be used in WCP unless other treatments are ineffective or not tolerated. The purpose of the valproate dashboard is to support a reduction in the use of valproate and help prevent unplanned pregnancies in women taking valproate.

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