Emma Murphy, 32, has taken the anti-seizure drug Epilim since she was 12 She says doctors never told her of the risks when she was pregnant Campaigning for greater awareness of side-effects after all five children developed physical and developmental problems
By Claire Bates
PUBLISHED: 07:17 EST, 27 February 2013 | UPDATED: 07:47 EST, 27 February 2013
Emma Murphy, from Whitefield in Greater Manchester, is now calling for a public inquiry into the treatment and wants to raise awareness of the dangers to young women.
Epilim is one of the registered trade names for sodium valporate, an anti-epilepsy drug also prescribed to people suffering from bipolar disorders and depression - but there is a risk of birth defects if taken by pregnant women.
Campaigner: Emma Murphy with Lauren (8), Kian (3), Chloe (9), Erin (5) and Luke (7). She says all her children have experienced problems as a result of her taking Epilim
Mrs Murphy, 32, who was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 12, has five children aged three to nine with her husband Joseph, 40.
Their children - Chloe, nine, Lauren, eight, Luke, seven, Erin, five and Kian, three - all have physical and development problems including autism, deafness, cerebral palsy and incontinence.
Mrs Murphy said: 'It is incredibly difficult as my children each have individual needs and dealing with children on the autistic spectrum is particularly challenging. My husband and I have a good routine and we're managing but it has put a lot of pressure on us as a couple.'
Read the original here:
Taking epilepsy drug led to ALL FIVE of my children having conditions from autism to deafness