Antibiotics During Pregnancy
Women take antibiotics for a number of ailments and reasons, but one has to keep in mind that one must consult a doctor, gynecologist or obstetrician before taking antibiotics during pregnancy and childbirth. Often, even the dentist consults a gynecologist before prescribing an antibiotic to his pregnant patient. He has to be sure that the antibiotics being prescribed by him prescribing are safe antibiotics or not during this time. There are several categories of antibiotics depending on their role and effect in the body of the pregnant women.
Antibiotic Category A
Very few antibiotics fall under this category and this category A signifies that there is no harm that will befall a pregnant woman if she takes these antibiotics. She can take this drug during her first trimester till delivery and it is the safest of all antibiotics.
Antibiotic Category B
The majority of all antibiotics come under this category. There is no proven research to show that this category is harmful to expectant mothers or the unborn kid. This category like the one before is safe to be taken during pregnancy without any untoward side-effect.
Antibiotic Category C
There is not much data on the usage and effects of antibiotics under this category. Hence, antibiotics of category C are strictly prohibited for use during pregnancy and childbirth.
Antibiotic Category D
Any antibiotics under this category are to be avoided under any circumstances during pre-natal care as well as pregnancy. If only there is no better alternative, one can take them but it comes with risks for the unborn child.
Along with information of antibiotics during pregnancy and childbirth, one must also take into consideration these factors.
- The kind of antibiotic being taken
- The dose of antibiotic that is prescribed
- Duration of the medication
- Your pregnancy trimester
The duration of taking an antibiotic is very important since prolong use of an antibiotic can lead to causing certain deformities in the unborn child and in worse cases may lead to a miscarriage. There are certain antibiotics that are safe during certain trimesters hence the trimester is an important factor. The safest antibiotics during pregnancy are penicillin, cephalosporin and erythromycin. Though they are safe, you must take a multivitamin along with. If you are taking a antibiotic to treat an urinary infection, combining it with a 400 ml dose of folic acid is important. Antibiotics that are suggested for the treatment of TB, respiratory infections and acne should be avoided at all costs as they might cause deafness in the child and give permanent discoloration of the baby’s teeth.
It is very important to weight the pros and cons during pregnancy if you have been prescribed to take antibiotics. Any infection affecting the mother will affect the unborn child so one needs to visit the doctor at all times during pregnancy and not self-medicate. The physician can administer the safest medication with the best appropriate dose for the pregnant mother during this time. It is safest to consult your obstetrician and gynecologist before taking any kind of medicines or antibiotics during pregnancy, considering the fact that it may or may not be safe for you or your unborn child.
Filed under Antibiotics by 
