# Placental efflux transporters and antiseizure or antidepressant medication use impact birth weight in MoBa cohort

## TL;DR

This study finds that genetic variants in placental transporters may influence how antiseizure medications affect birth weight, but not antidepressants.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific genetic variants in placental efflux transporters that interact with antiseizure medication use to influence birth weight.

## Key findings

- Genetic variants in MRP2-ABCC2 and MDR1-ABCB1 may modulate the effect of antiseizure drugs on birth weight.
- Antidepressant use was associated with low birth weight, but no gene-drug interactions were found.
- More research is needed to ensure safe drug use during pregnancy.

## Abstract

Low birth weight raises neonatal risks and lifelong health issues and is linked to maternal medication use during pregnancy. We examined data from the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study and the Medical Birth Registry of Norway, including 69,828 offspring with genotype data and 81,189 with maternal genotype data. We identified genetic risk variants in placental efflux transporters, calculated genetic scores based on alleles related to transporter activity, and assessed their interaction with prenatal use of antiseizure or antidepressant medication on offspring birth weight. Our study uncovered possible genetic variants in both offspring (rs3740066) and mothers (rs10248420; rs2235015) in placental efflux transporters (MRP2-ABCC2 and MDR1-ABCB1) that modulated the association between prenatal exposure to antiseizure medication and low birth weight in the offspring. Antidepressant exposure was associated with low birth weight, but there were no gene-drug interactions. The interplay between MRP2-ABCC2 and MDR1-ABCB1 variants and antiseizure medication may impact neonatal birth weight.

•Prenatal antiseizure medication use impacts low birth weight depending on gene variants•These are found in the ABCC2 gene in the offspring and the ABCB1 gene in mothers•No gene-drug interaction for maternal antidepressant use on birth weight was found•More studies are needed to guarantee the safe use of drugs during pregnancy

Prenatal antiseizure medication use impacts low birth weight depending on gene variants

These are found in the ABCC2 gene in the offspring and the ABCB1 gene in mothers

No gene-drug interaction for maternal antidepressant use on birth weight was found

More studies are needed to guarantee the safe use of drugs during pregnancy

Health informatics; Health sciences; Medical specialty; Medicine; Pharmacology; Psychiatry