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Lithium and other mood stabilisers
Explains how lithium and other mood stabilising drugs work, how they might help you, whether to take them if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, and what alternative treatments are available.
Valproate
Valproate is an anticonvulsant (anti-seizure) drug. It's also used as a mood stabiliser.
Other names for valproate are: Epilim, Depakote, Dyzantil.
It's used to treat bipolar disorder and epilepsy.
What are the main risks of valproate?
Taking valproate while pregnant can increase the risk of your baby having a birth defect, or developmental disorder.
This risk is relatively high, and is serious.
The government's guidance on valproate use explains the pregnancy risks in more detail.
Our page on mood stabilisers in pregnancy also has more information.
Valproate can affect the DNA in your sperm. This can increase the risk of your baby having developmental disorder.
This can happen even if you stopped taking valproate less than 3 months ago.
The changes to your sperm DNA can pass down to future generations.
Like all drugs, valproate may also cause other unwanted side effects. And coming off it can can cause withdrawal symptoms. Our page on coming off mood stabilisers has more information.
Who can take valproate?
Because of potential harm to babies, doctors are very cautious about prescribing valproate.
If you're under 55 years old, your doctor will not prescribe it unless:
- They're sure no other medicine is suitable for you
- 2 specialists both agree about it
- They're sure you know the risks
- You agree to follow some contraception rules to make sure you won't make a baby
These contraception rules are much more strict if you have a female reproductive system. So valproate treatment can be harder for women to access than for men.
And if you're LGBTQIA+, discussing these rules with your doctor can feel even more complicated. Our support pages for LGBTQIA+ mental health are here for you.
What are the contraception rules for valproate?
The rules you must follow depend on whether you have a male or female reproductive system:
This mostly applies to women and girls, and also includes trans men and some non-binary people.
To take valproate you must:
- Get your medicine from a specialist, such as a psychiatrist
- Agree to follow a pregnancy prevention programme. This means you need to use a highly effective form of contraception, like an implant, coil, or injection. Or you could use 2 methods of contraception, so long as 1 is a barrier method (like condoms). The pill is not considered highly effective on its own, because you might forget to take it.
- Take regular pregnancy tests
- Sign a Risk Acknowledgement Form every year
The only exception is if there's an obvious reason why you physically can't get pregnant. For example:
- You've had a hysterectomy
- You have a chromosomal disorder that means you can't get pregnant
What if I'm gay, or I don't ever have sex?
Being a lesbian, asexual, or sexually inactive is usually not enough reason to make you exempt from these rules.
Because even though you're very unlikely to become pregnant, it is still possible for your body.
To take valproate you must:
- Get your medicine from your GP, who will review it often
- Agree to use condoms
- If you have a regular partner who could get pregnant, ask them to use extra contraception, like the pill
- Agree to wait for 3 months after stopping valproate before trying to conceive a child or donating sperm
I'm already on valproate – should I stop taking it?
If you’re currently taking valproate, it’s important to continue taking it unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
If you're thinking of coming off your medication, it's important to do it safely.
If you stop taking valproate suddenly, it can be very dangerous.
If you think you might be pregnant, talk to your doctor as soon as possible.
You can discuss your options with your doctor. Other medications might be available.
See our page on coming off mood stabilisers for more information.
Our pages on stopping or coming off psychiatric medication may also help.
What should I do if I'm having a side effect?
If you have any questions about your medication you can:
- Talk to your doctor, or any healthcare professional who prescribes your medication
- Speak to someone at a pharmacy
- Contact NHS 111 in England, or NHS 111 in Wales
If you experience any side effects from your drug, you can report them to the medicines regulator (the MHRA) via its Yellow Card scheme.
This scheme allows the MHRA to collect information about which drugs cause which side effects and how common they are. This lets drug manufacturers give more accurate information about their medication.
But if you’re currently taking valproate, it’s important to continue taking it unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
Where can I find more information?
The UK Government’s website has a page of information and updates on taking valproate and pregnancy.
Our pages on lithium and other mood stabilisers also have more information.
Also see:
- About psychiatric medication. See our pages on psychiatric medication for information on what you should know before taking any psychiatric drug, receiving the right medication for you, and your right to refuse medication.
- About side effects. See our page on coping with side effects for information on what to do if you experience a side effect.
- About coming off medication. See our pages on coming off psychiatric drugs for information on making your decision to come off medication, planning withdrawal and withdrawal symptoms.
- About accessing treatment. See our pages on seeking help for a mental health problem for more information on getting treatment for your mental health.
Patient information leaflet (PIL)
You can find detailed information about valproate in the official Patient Information Leaflet (PIL). This includes information on the medication is for, how to take it, possible side effects and safety information.
This leaflet should come with your medication, usually inside the box.
Or you can download a PDF version of the PIL for your medication:
Some drugs come in different forms, such as tablets or liquid. There may be a separate PIL for each form of the drug, as well as for different doses. You should look at the PIL for the form and dose you have been prescribed.
You can also search these websites for your specific drug to find further information and PILs:
Somebody I know is taking valproate. What should I do?
If you think this information affects someone you care about, it might be helpful to show them this information.
You could also encourage them to visit their doctor to discuss their options.
And if you are just there to listen, that can help them feel supported.
Last updated: September 2024
This page is currently under review. All content was accurate when published.
References and bibliography available on request.
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