Downloadable Resources
Fact Sheets & Research
Free Resources
Download or free hard copies
We have a wide range of resources available to help you in your work within the community of families in the perinatal period. These are available for download and print either our complete set, or individually.
Would you rather have a hard copy, or copies to share with colleagues or parents? If you are an NGO we can send these to you for free, you pay just the cost of postage, if you are from Te Whatu Ora or any other funded organisation, there is a small charge. Use the link below to order yours today.
Care for babies exposed to antiepileptic medications
Information about the benefits and risks of anti-seizure medicines to use in pregnancy
ACC have information and resources about the benefits and risks of anti-seizure/mood stabilising medicines for people who can become pregnant.
These medicines are prescribed to manage epilepsy, for mood regulation, or for pain management, and in some cases can result in Fetal Anti-Convulsant Syndrome (FACS) in babies exposed in pregnancy. FACS is a cluster of congenital malformations and learning problems identified in infants exposed to anti-seizure/mood stabilising medicines in pregnancy.
Two booklets have been created, one for health professionals and one for people taking the medicines, as well as a flyer suitable for waiting rooms.
The resources were developed alongside with the Health Quality and Safety Commission, the Ministry of Health (MOH), and Foetal Anti-Convulsant Syndrome New Zealand (FACS NZ). The full set can be viewed and ordered at no cost via the ACC online ordering system.
Along with this new information, ACC have also published new guidelines about injuries caused by exposure to sodium valproate in pregnancy. These will help health providers understand ACC cover and are available on the ACC website.
All resources are available here at the FACS NZ Website.