 Women who intend to become pregnant should switch to a different medication if possible, or decrease their dose of valproate.Women who become pregnant while taking valproate should be warned that it causes birth defects and cognitive impairment in the newborn, especially at high doses (although valproate is sometimes the only drug that can control seizures, and seizures in pregnancy could have even worse consequences).Studies have shown that taking folic acid can reduce the risk of congenital neural tube defects.