How are children’s lives affected now?

Epilepsy is a condition that involves repeated seizures that can damage the brain. Most people with epilepsy, including women of childbearing age, need to take long-term medications to control their seizures.³ 

“Seizures can sometimes pose serious risks during pregnancy – for example, by reducing the baby’s oxygen supply, or increasing the mother’s risk of injury or complications,” says Professor Williams. “Good seizure control during pregnancy is very important. However, certain epilepsy medications can also raise concerns because of their potential effects on the developing baby.”

Around one in three people with epilepsy have seizures that cannot be controlled with medications.³ For these people, the ketogenic diet – a high-fat, very low-carbohydrate, controlled protein diet – reduces seizures. However, this strict diet can be difficult to maintain and may also affect the developing baby – and there is currently limited evidence about its suitability for use during pregnancy.

“There is still far too little research into how epilepsy treatments affect women and their unborn babies during pregnancy – leaving many people without evidence-based treatment options,” says Professor Williams. “There is a clear and urgent need to develop treatments that have been thoroughly tested in pregnancy and shown to be safe.”

How could this research help?

In previous research, the team discovered that a fatty acid called decanoic acid has anti-seizure effects. They went on to develop a decanoic acid-rich dietary supplement (DARS), which is now used to treat epilepsy. 

“Based on what we know about how DARS works, it is expected to be safe for the developing baby, but more research is needed to provide the necessary evidence to confirm this,” says Professor Williams.

The researchers will compare the effects of DARS with a known high-risk anti-seizure medication and with ketones – molecules produced from fats during the ketogenic diet – using laboratory models and human brain cells grown in dishes.

“Our results will provide essential data to help determine whether DARS can be used safely during pregnancy,” says Professor Williams. “This would be an important step towards giving women with epilepsy more treatment options to control their seizures while reducing potential risks to their babies.”

References

1. UK epilepsy & pregnancy register: https://www.epilepsyandpregnancy.co.uk/ [website accessed 12 February 2026]
2. NHS website. Epilepsy and pregnancy: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/existing-health-conditions/epilepsy/ [website accessed 17 February 2026]
3. McTague, A. & Appleton R. Treatment of difficult epilepsy. Archives of Disease in Childhood 2011;96(2):200-4

We do not provide medical advice. If you would like more information about a condition or would like to talk to someone about your health, contact NHS Choices or speak to your GP.