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Is it Safe to Take Antibiotics While Pregnant?

Is it Safe to Take Antibiotics While Pregnant?

Some medicine may reach the baby when you take these drugs during pregnancy. This happens due to an organ known as the placenta. It supplies the developing baby with all the essential nutrients, oxygen, and blood.

Placenta works as a filter for the baby, but some medicines may pass through it. So a mother needs to be careful while taking medicines that can be toxic for a developing baby. One must discuss the potential risks of the drugs during pregnancy with a doctor. 

You might need antibiotics if you fall ill during pregnancy, especially with a bacterial infection. A wide range of antibiotics is available to treat illnesses caused due to harmful bacteria.

According to the type of bacterial infection, a certain class of antibiotics is usually prescribed.

Among these antibiotics, some are safe to use during pregnancy. But some antibiotics can be unsafe during pregnancy, and some require caution. The effects of such antibiotics may cause complications in the baby's development or other health problems. 

This article lists antibiotics that can be unsafe to take during pregnancy. Also, know what risks they may cause when taking them in this situation.

Moreover, know which antibiotics medicine are safe to take during pregnancy. And get all the information on how to take them safely during pregnancy.

Antibiotics that are unsafe while pregnancy:

Here is a list of antibiotics that can be unsafe for the developing baby when you use them during pregnancy. It includes antibiotics such as:

  • Tetracyclines
  • Streptomycin
  • Aminoglycosides
  • Metronidazole
  • Fluoroquinolones
  • Kanamycin

Following Antibiotics can be toxic and harmful to your baby. They may cause side effects like stained teeth or slow down bone growth.

Risks of Taking Antibiotics While Pregnant:

When you are pregnant, your immune system works differently. During this period, your body can catch infection easily, and you might get sick. The infection during pregnancy not only affects you but can also be unsafe for your baby. In some cases, this infection can have a life-threatening sickness. If an infection is not treated promptly, it may lead to early labor, newborn death, and stillbirth risk. Also, the effects of this infection can cause a problem in the organs of your body. 

Your doctor will prescribe certain antibiotics to treat a bacterial infection. It would be best if you took these antibiotics as instructed for you. A bacterial infection that is most likely to appear includes:

  • Appendicitis
  • Urinary tract infection(UTI)
  • Kidney infection
  • Syphilis
  • Group B Streptococcus
  • Listeria
  • Gallbladder infection
  • Bacterial vaginosis
  • Placenta and amniotic fluid infection

Use of Certain antibiotics during these infections may pose a risk during pregnancy. For example, Tetracyclines can develop the risk of over-bone growth and discolor a developing baby's teeth. Due to these risks use of Tetracyclines is not recommended after the fifth week of pregnancy. 

Use of Sulfonamides may pose a mild risk of heart conditions and cause cleft lip or palate and jaundice. Using this antibiotic during the first trimester of pregnancy is not recommended. Also, you should avoid using it near the time of the delivery. 

These antibiotics can cause some potential side effects during their use. Usually, they put adverse effects on the stomach and intestines, such as:

  • Diarrhea
  • Stomach pain
  • Bloating
  • Gas
  • Throwing up
  • Nausea
  • Loss of appetite

Read More - Diarrhea Problem associated with Antibiotics

Some people with allergies to these antibiotics may also face allergic reactions such as:

  • Swelling
  • Tightness of the throat
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Losing consciousness
  • Wheezing
  • Feeling sick
  • Rash and Itchy skin
  • Coughing

Anaphylaxis is a severe condition associated with an allergic reaction to a medication. If you experience symptoms like swelling, tightness in the throat, and difficulty breathing, it can be a sign of Anaphylaxis. You may need immediate medical attention if this severe allergic condition appears.

Antibiotic resistance can also seriously impact the developing baby's health. It appears during an overuse or not taking an antibiotic is a proper way. The condition can cause bacteria to become resistant to your antibiotic, and the infection gets harder to treat. 

Knowing the exact cause of illness, taking antibiotics for a viral infection may not help. Also, doing this may lead to a condition like superbugs. The illness may get severe during such conditions, and it can be unsafe for to baby during pregnancy. 

Antibiotics that are safe while pregnancy: 

These are some antibiotics that are usually safe to use during pregnancy. Antibiotics such as:

  • Ampicillin
  • Penicillin
  • Erythromycin
  • Clindamycin
  • Amoxicillin

 How to Safely Take Antibiotics in Pregnancy

The first step is to take your antibiotics exactly as instructed by your doctor. Depending on your medical condition, a doctor prescribes you a medicine that works ideally for you. They will review several factors before suggesting antibiotics. These factors are as follows:

  • Prescribe you the lowest dose possible
  • Direct you to use only one type of antibiotics
  • Prescribe your antibiotics for the shortest time possible
  • Testing to confirm the type of infection you have
  • Only prescribe antibiotics only when necessary
  • Warning about drug interactions
  • Explaining how to take antibiotics correctly
  • Not recommended for their use in the first trimester

Use other safe remedies during pregnancy:

During a common cold or other mild conditions, your doctor will be less likely to advise you on antibiotics. They may suggest you other OTC medicines that can be safe to take during pregnancy. You can also try following self-care remedies to treat common and mild illnesses. For example, you can try remedies like:

  • Taking a hot shower
  • Saline nasal spray
  • Warm salt water gargle
  • Sinus steam

You must consult a doctor if you do not get relief even after using these self-care tips.

The use of some antibiotics is entirely unsafe during pregnancy, for example, Teratogenic. Teratogenic may cause risks like slowing down the growth of babies' bones, hypoplasia, and discoloration of their teeth. Also, antibiotics like Streptomycin and Kanamycin may cause side effects during pregnancy. They may cause hearing loss. 

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Reference - https://www.webmd.com/baby/safe-to-take-antibiotics-while-pregnant