Taking Antibiotics During Pregnancy

Antibiotics are medicines which are taken to kill bacteria in the body or not allowing them to reproduce in the system. It helps the body to heal by providing its own defenses to overcome the infection. Women also taken antibiotics for several reasons but before taking them during pregnancy they should consult their doctor or gynecologist. Often while treating a woman who is pregnant, dentists and other doctors also consult the gynecologists or obstetricians before prescribing antibiotic to their pregnant patients. Most antibiotics are unsafe during pregnancy so it is advisable to take it only after the doctor’s advice. This chart may help you to understand better what antibiotics are safe to take during pregnancy: Due to several infections, a woman might need to take an antibiotic drug. This list will give you a fair idea of what is safe and what is not but a doctor’s advice is still necessary before self-medicating.

Penicillins	Safe during pregnancy.
Cephalosporins	Safe during pregnancy.
Erythromycin	Safe during pregnancy.
Azithromycin	Safe during pregnancy.
Tetracycline(incl.doxy)	UNSAFE AT ANY TIME DURING PREGNANCY.
Metronidazole	Safe after 14 weeks. Avoid single-dose therapy. Safety prior to 14 weeks not well-established.
Aminoglycosides	Basically safe during pregnancy, but renal and ototoxicity are potential problems if the dose is high or prolonged.
Clindamycin	Safe during pregnancy.
Chloramphenicol	Probably safe prior to 28 weeks
Sulfa drugs	Safe prior to 34 weeks. After that, babies may develop jaundice if exposed to sulfa.
Quinine	Only to be used in life-threatening, chloroquine-resistant P. Falciparum infections
Miconazole	Safe during pregnancy.
Clotrimazole	Safe during pregnancy.
Quinacrine	Probably safe during pregnancy.
Chloroquine	With prolonged or high doses may cause congenital defects.
Pyrimethamine	Safe after 1st trimester. Add folic acid supplement.
Trimethoprim	Safe after 1st trimester. Add folic acid supplement.
Primaquine	May cause hemolytic anemia in the presence of G6PD deficiency. You may use it if needed.

What kind of antibiotic do you need to take? There are some kinds of antibiotic medicines that are safe and can be used throughout the pregnancy. The examples of these drugs are penicillin, cephalosporin, and erythromycin. Whereas, there are some antibiotic drugs that could lead to complications to the unborn child when taken during any point in pregnancy. How much antibiotics does need and how long? It is important to be aware of the quantity of antibiotics you’re going to consume for your infection and treatment. Taking antibiotic for too long in your pregnancy can lead to developing deformities or abnormalities to your growing baby due to the medicine. Medicines and antibiotics have to be prescribed very carefully by your gynecologist after evaluating and condition and giving it only if necessary. When during the pregnancy will you need the antibiotic? For most prescribed antibiotics, they are safe to be taken if prescribed by your doctor whether it’s the first, second, or third trimester of your pregnancy. There are certain medicines that can be taken only during certain times in the pregnancy. Metronidazole is very safe once the pregnancy is over 14 weeks, chloramphenicol is also safe before you reach your 28th week of being pregnant, and sulfa drugs are good to use till 34th week of pregnancy. There are other antibiotics as well that can be taken till a certain point in pregnancy but some antibiotics are never good to be taken during this time. ??A good example of a very dangerous antibiotic drug to take during pregnancy is Tetracycline. Whether you read up on pregnancy do’s and don’ts it is imperative that you consult your gynecologist at every illness of yours so that a right medicine can be prescribed. Do not self-medicate during this time as it may lead to severe deformities for your unborn child. Seek the doctor’s advice for whatever you are going through and he will take care of the situation.