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A nurse says she has been forced to retire at just 30-years-old after medication she was prescribed caused birth defects in both her children.

Antonia Louise Rimmer was prescribed a drug called Epilim to treat her epilepsy and has been taking it since she was 13.

The mum-of-two, from Southport, continued to take the drug during both of her pregnancies and claims doctors never told it could pose a risk to her babies.

Antonia now has two children, eight-year-old Kaitlyn and Annie, 2, who both suffer from Fetal Valporate Syndrome.

Kaitlyn has a mild form of the condition and needs to wear glasses, was delayed with her walking, and she has the facial features usually associated with the syndrome.

But Annie has a more severe form of the condition.

(Image: Southport Visiter WS)

The two-year-old suffers from autism, asthma, sensory issues, delayed walking and talking, and she also has facial features usually associated with the symdrone.

Antonia believes the severity of Annie's condition may have been due to the dose she was on whilst she was pregnant.

She said: "I was taking 1000mg a day whilst i was pregnant with Annie, and I was not warned of any possible risks.

"Annie was born five weeks prematurely and she had withdrawal symptoms from the drug - but the hospital did not tell me this."

When Antonia did her own research, she discovered that Annie was displaying symptoms of the condition and went to see a specialist for confirmation. At 18-months-old, Annie was officially diagnosed with the condition.

Antonia said: "Looking after Annie is difficult, I can't drive because of my epilepsy, so I have to rely on family and friends.

"I spend all of my time going to and from the hospital with appointments for either me or my daughter. It's a nightmare."

Fortunately, however, Antonia says that Annie has been developing really well overall.

She said: "Annie is coming on extremely well, but it has taken two years of support from health care professionals to see her progression in development."

(Image: Southport Visiter WS)

In order to be able to look after Annie, and deal with her epilepsy, Antonia was forced into early retirement.

The 30-year-old had worked as a staff nurse on the surgical ward at Southport Hospital for five years, before entering retirement this year.

She said: "The drug has changed my whole life, I had to give up my nursing career.

"I always wanted to be a nurse since I was little. I was so sad to leave my ward, they were so supportive of me after everything I went through, I miss my job everyday and I worked so hard for it."

Campaigners say young women should have been warned about the epilepsy drug as long ago as 1974 and it is it estimate that up to 20,000 children in the UK may have been harmed y their mother's taking the medication.

Antonia, who lives in Birkdale with Annie's father, Adrian Kuti, is sharing her story, as she doesn't want anyone else to go through what she has.

She added: "I wanted to share my story, in an attempt to prevent other people having to go through a similar situation. I hope that mothers can learn from this, and perhaps swap to a drug that isn't harmful to their babies during pregnancy.

"That's what I wish I had done. If I had a little bit more information, these circumstances could have been avoided. I want to help others, unfortunately its too late for my family, the damage has already been done. We need justice for all the innocent children affected."

For more information about the condition, or to seek advice, visit www.facsa.org.uk .