Antibiotics are drugs that have a destructive effect on bacteria and other microbes. These medications sometimes help to cope with the most severe pathologies, when conventional and less aggressive drugs are powerless. But taking them can provoke a lot of adverse reactions associated with functional disorders. Antibiotic therapy is especially dangerous for mothers. Antibiotics during pregnancy, the 2nd trimester and during other periods of fetal development are very harmful, therefore obstetricians and gynecologists do not recommend taking them. Sometimes, if a mother, not knowing about her situation, took strong antibiotics during pregnancy, gynecologists strongly recommend an abortion.

At the first sign of illness, do not postpone a visit to the doctor.

Registration for obstetric registration in the housing complex involves regular examinations and tests of the pregnant woman. This allows for timely detection of dangerous pathologies. And if the mother was also planning to conceive, she took vitamins and strengthened her immune status. In such cases, the risks of developing various infectious pathologies and their complications are minimal, but it is impossible to completely eliminate them. Therefore, approximately half of the mothers different dates antibiotic therapy is prescribed during gestation.

All antibiotics are classified into several groups according to the risk indicator for the baby and the pregnant woman. The first group is represented by strictly prohibited medications that have a pronounced teratogenic effect. These medications are categorically unacceptable in the treatment of pregnant women, because they provoke the development of fetal mutations or intrauterine death, underdevelopment of organs, etc.

The second group is conditionally approved antibiotics, the harm of which is not subject to clinical trials, however, it is quite probable. Such medications are prescribed when the probable harm to the fetus is significantly lower than the obvious therapeutic benefit. The third group is safe for the fetus, approved antibiotics during pregnancy. You can take them without fear negative consequences, the main thing is to follow the recommended regimen and dosage.

To exclude possible negative consequences, a woman should clearly know which antibiotics can be taken in her situation. Any drug should be prescribed only by an obstetrician-gynecologist after determining the type of pathogen. Self-medication is dangerous because even the most safe medicines during pregnancy can cause an unusual reaction due to hormonal changes.

Ordinary patients are prescribed broad-spectrum drugs that are active against several types of bacterial pathogens. But these antibiotics have a lot of side effects, so they are not entirely suitable for pregnant women. Usually, when a bacterial infection is detected, a bacterial culture is performed to identify the pathogen, after which the most appropriate medicine is prescribed.

When is antibiotics prescribed?

Antibiotics in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy are prescribed strictly according to indications, and such a prescription must be fully justified. For prevention, such medications are not prescribed to mothers. Indications for antibacterial drugs are quite varied.

1. Pyelonephritis. Such a pathology quite often develops during pregnancy, which is associated with increased loads on the renal structures. The therapy is prescribed comprehensively, including antibiotics that can be taken during pregnancy, such as cephalosporin antibiotics, Kanamycin, Methicillin or Ampicillin.
2. Cystitis. It represents an inflammatory lesion of the bladder structures, which is dangerous due to the risk of spread of the pathological process to the uterine tissue, which will significantly complicate the course of gestation or cause damage to the development of the fetus. Usually, for cystitis, pregnant women are prescribed Monural or Amoxiclav. The first is more effective and has a wider range of effects, which is why it is prescribed more often.
3. Although sinusitis is not considered a pathology that affects the outcome of gestation, it causes a lot of trouble and discomfort for the mother herself. In the 1st trimester of pregnancy, antibiotics are not always prescribed to patients, but in advanced cases with complications, it can be difficult to do without such drugs. Amoxicillin is usually prescribed, but only if there are serious indications.
4. For throat infections and coughs against the background of pneumonia or bronchitis of a bacterial nature, pathologies of the respiratory tract, and acute respiratory viral infections, antibacterial agents are also prescribed. They are selected based on the pathogen that caused the infection.
5. With polyhydramnios, the volume of amniotic fluid significantly exceeds generally accepted norms. Such a deviation is often accompanied by infectious processes provoked by mycoplasmas or chlamydia, which requires the use of antibiotics in the third trimester, otherwise pathogens can infect the fetus.

Antibiotic therapy is also prescribed for genital or digestive infections, hepatobiliary and urinary pathologies, purulent wounds and severe injuries, in case of miscarriage of infectious origin, etc.

How do antibiotics affect the fetus?

If serious infectious pathologies develop, it is difficult to manage without the use of antibiotics during pregnancy in the 1st trimester. But in addition to their antibacterial effects, these drugs cause a lot of side reactions, which manifest themselves in a negative effect on the liver and intestinal structures, immune suppression and other conditions. The degree of negative impact depends on the specific gestational age.

Great happiness - the birth of a desired and healthy baby

At the beginning of gestation in the 1st trimester of pregnancy, antibiotic therapy is most dangerous for fetal development. During this period, the baby’s intraorganic structures are being formed, but the placental tissues have not yet formed, and therefore are not able to protect the baby from the penetration of aggressive components of the drugs. This explains the ban on most medications in this group in the first gestational trimester.

In the second trimester of pregnancy, the main fetal structures have already formed. But the brain structures and reproductive system will continue to develop and form until birth, so there are still some restrictions on antibiotics. Although the list of permitted means is somewhat expanding.

These medications are also allowed in the third gestational trimester, but only as strictly prescribed by a doctor. Their influence is no longer as negative as it was on early stages, although there are still limitations for potent antibiotics. If the mother experiences adverse reactions during antibiotic therapy, then she should stop taking the drug further and consult a doctor to correct the treatment process.

Consequences

Antibacterial medications can be extremely harmful to the small organism developing inside the mother if they are prescribed from the list of prohibited drugs for pregnant women. Although a lot depends on the timing of antibiotic therapy. But women are not always capable of planning conception and serious preparation for pregnancy, including calculating ovulation, etc. Sometimes patients do not yet know about their interesting situation, they catch a bacterial infection and undergo serious antibiotic therapy.

• If antibiotics were taken before the expected menstruation, that is, before a delay was detected, then special adherence to the principles in choosing medications is not required.
• It’s just that the baby is not yet connected with the mother so much that antibiotics can have any negative effect on him.
• It is more dangerous to undergo antibiotic therapy after detecting a delay and confirming an interesting situation. In such a case, the “all or nothing” principle begins to work, meaning that the medication will either have no effect on embryonic development, or will provoke the formation of serious pathologies or congenital anomalies.
• Treatment with such drugs is especially fraught with risks precisely at the first gestational stage, when vital fetal structures are formed.
• Congenital defects are possible, such as the absence of an organ or its underdevelopment, the formation of additional holes, changes in normal location or changes in shape.
• There is also a toxic effect on the liver and auditory nerve tissue of the baby, damage to tooth enamel or blood supply disorders, bone defects and slower growth of bone tissue.

Such consequences are caused by the unformed placental organ, which represents a kind of filtration system for the fetus that protects the baby. Immediately after implantation of the fertilized cell and until 10-12 weeks, the embryo is nourished from endometrial tissues and blood vessels. But it is also impossible not to treat infectious pathologies in the early stages, because they start, spread to neighboring structures, provoke various complications, etc. In such a situation, the doctor usually prescribes antibiotics based on the principle of the predominance of therapeutic benefit over the possible risk for fetal development.

Approved medications

Before taking any medication, the patient should first consult a gynecologist to see if she can take this drug. When the danger of the disease for the mother exceeds the risks for the baby, and there are serious indications, the gynecologist can prescribe antibiotics to the pregnant woman, which fall into the category of permitted or conditionally permitted.

Under no circumstances should you self-medicate

For worsened genitourinary inflammations such as cystitis or pyelonephritis, cephalosporins or penicillins are usually prescribed. Similar groups of medications are indicated for pulmonary inflammation, bronchitis, etc. For STIs, the choice of drug is prescribed according to the type of infection. For example, gonorrhea and syphilis are treated immediately, but ureaplasmosis or chlamydia are treated in the next trimester, when the likely negative consequences of antibiotic therapy are minimal.

Sinusitis and sinusitis, tonsillitis and other ENT pathologies are usually eliminated with penicillin, although if possible it is better to do without medications, using nasal rinses and rinses, inhalations, etc. Mommy should remember the list of acceptable antibiotics in order to eliminate the possibility of erroneously prescribing an illegal drug.

Amoxicillin

This is an antibiotic belonging to the penicillin category. It does not have a toxic effect on the liver structures and does not provoke the development of fetal anomalies. It is actively prescribed by specialists for the treatment of lymphadenitis, pulmonary inflammation, sinusitis, pyelonephritis or bronchitis in pregnant women.

Vilprafen

This medication is used for infectious bacterial pathologies, mainly of the urogenital area. Vilprafen is often prescribed to mothers for the treatment of ureaplasma, which is considered incredibly dangerous not only for the fetus, but also for the pregnant woman herself.

Amoxiclav

This antibiotic has a combined composition; in addition to the antibiotic substance, it also contains clavulanic acid. The medication is one of the safest antimicrobial drugs that can be used during pregnancy. Usually the medicine is prescribed in the form of injections and for oral administration.

Cefazolin

This antimicrobial medication is prescribed to pregnant women only if there are particularly serious indications and only after 12 weeks. It is used in the treatment of osteomyelitis or pneumonia, urinary or skin bacterial infections.

Any therapy is only as prescribed by a specialist

Ceftriaxone

This antibiotic belongs to the category of potent medications. It is capable of destroying even pathogens that are particularly resistant to the antibacterial effects of other drugs. It is usually prescribed at gestational age 2-3, administering the drug intramuscularly. Ceftriaxone injections are indicated if a pregnant woman has infectious lesions of the respiratory, genitourinary, digestive system or skin tissue.

Prohibited antibiotics

Prohibited drugs for pregnant women include:

• Tetracycline antibiotics such as Doxycycline or Tetracycline. They negatively affect the metabolic processes of minerals, have a toxic effect on liver tissue and destroy the tooth enamel of the child’s future tooth buds.
• Nirtofuran antibiotics (Furadonin or Furazolidone) are of synthetic origin and are characterized by a particularly high therapeutic effect in the treatment of urethritis or cystitis. But in the early gestational stages they cause serious damage to the excretory system of the future baby.
• Aminoglycoside antibiotics (Neomycin and Amikacin, Gentamicin) also have a negative effect on the baby. They affect the baby’s renal system and can cause congenital deafness in the baby.
• Fluoroquinolone antimicrobial agents such as Floxal, Abacal, Ciprofloxacin, when taken by pregnant women, can provoke birth defects and developmental abnormalities of the baby’s bone and cartilaginous structures.
• Levomycetin antibiotics can provoke circulatory disorders or anemic conditions in the fetus.
• The quinoxaltin series of drugs (Dioxidin, etc.) is also contraindicated for pregnant women, because it has an embryotoxic effect and negatively affects fetal development.
• Sulfanilamide antibiotics, which include Biseptol and Oriprim, Novotrimed or Bactrim, are also considered extremely dangerous for expectant mothers.

If you neglect the recommendations regarding prohibited antibiotics, then taking such drugs can lead to very unpleasant and sometimes disastrous consequences. Taking prohibited antimicrobial drugs in the first trimester can provoke spontaneous abortion, fading of pregnancy, or genetic mutations. If antibiotic therapy is prescribed at a later date, it will not provoke fetal death, however, it can cause serious congenital anomalies or severe fetal pathologies.

Conclusion

Even relatively safe antibiotics can cause intestinal disorders, immune suppression, or a deterioration in the mother’s general well-being. Therefore, to exclude such phenomena, it is worth combining antibiotic therapy with probiotics. The main thing is to take such medications only as prescribed by a doctor, following the treatment regimen, dosage, and completing the course to the end. Then you won’t have to worry about the likely development of teratogenic complications or congenital fetal anomalies in development.

Taking medications is fraught with risk and requires strict adherence to dosage and constant medical supervision.

You should take any antibiotics especially carefully during pregnancy, since the possible negative consequences of such treatment are irreversible. Uncontrolled use leads to severe pathologies of the fetus, complicates the process of pregnancy and often contributes to spontaneous abortion.

However, it is impossible to completely abandon antibiotic therapy. According to statistics, about half of registered pregnant women are forced to take these medications for medical reasons. This happens for two reasons.

Firstly, carrying a child weakens the expectant mother’s immunity, making her more susceptible to infectious agents (especially during periods of seasonal outbreaks of diseases). Secondly, against this background, chronic diseases often worsen. This is why the question of the safety of antibacterial therapy is so relevant.

Registration at the antenatal clinic allows you to regularly conduct examinations, do tests and promptly identify pathological processes. In addition, expectant mothers usually take a responsible approach to planning and pregnancy, carrying out timely prevention and strengthening the immune system. With this approach, the risk of contracting dangerous infections is significantly reduced. However, the possibility of infection or exacerbation cannot be completely excluded, so many women are forced to take various antibiotics during pregnancy.

The same infectious disease can be provoked by different pathogens, so so-called broad-spectrum drugs are most often used, effective against several types of bacteria.

Also, if a woman is diagnosed with a bacterial infection, a laboratory test is required to identify the pathogen and the appropriate medication is used.

Features of treatment

All antibacterial drugs, according to the degree of safety for the health of the fetus and the woman herself, are divided into categories of action on the fetus according to the FDA:

• A - approved drugs;
• B — studies on animals did not reveal any undesirable effects on the fetus;
• C – animal studies revealed undesirable effects on the fetus, but the drug can be used for health reasons (the benefit to the mother outweighs the risk to the fetus;
• D – there is evidence of adverse effects on the fetus, but the drug can be used for health reasons (the benefit to the mother outweighs the risk to the fetus);
• N – unclassified products;
• X – prohibited drugs. The harm to the fetus exceeds the benefit to the pregnant woman.

It is important to remember that medications should be taken exclusively as prescribed by a gynecologist or a specialist. Self-medication is unacceptable even for the most by safe means, since against the background of changes in hormonal balance, increased sensitivity or intolerance to certain medications may occur. In addition, accurately identify the pathogen and prescribe effective drug Only laboratory tests are allowed.

What antibiotics can and cannot be taken during pregnancy?

It happens that a woman undergoes a prescribed course of antibiotic therapy without even knowing about her “interesting situation,” and after it is confirmed, she begins to panic. The table below will help you find out how harmless taking the drug is for the fetus and what the risk of developing intrauterine pathologies is. Links in the table lead to drug reviews on ourwebsite.

The safety of a particular medication also depends on the stage of pregnancy at which it is taken.

In the 2nd trimester

After 12 weeks, when the baby’s main organs are almost completely formed, a wider range of medications can be used. The permeability of the placental barrier to drugs is reduced, which allows for safer and more effective treatment.

1. Pathologies of the urogenital area are treated for 13-24 weeks with penicillins and cephalosporins, and if they are ineffective, with approved macrolides (Azithromycin ®).
2. , bronchitis and pneumonia respond well to treatment with penicillins and cephalosporins, as in the first three months. Macrolides can also be used. Taking Ciprofloxacin and other fluoroquinolones is strictly prohibited.
3. The second trimester is the optimal period for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases of bacterial origin. Penicillins are used, which can be used during pregnancy with almost no restrictions, cephalosporins, and macrolides. It is acceptable to prescribe nitrofurans (Metronidazole ®).
4. Treatment of sinusitis is carried out with appropriate drugs of the penicillin and cephalosporin groups, as well as macrolides. For sinusitis (especially sinusitis) good results gives the use of Ceftriaxone ® .

In the 3rd trimester

The last three months of gestation are often complicated by late toxicosis (preeclampsia), so a number of precautions should be taken.

1. Genitourinary system later is especially vulnerable, so gestational pyelonephritis is often diagnosed. Treatment should be carried out in a hospital using cephalosporins or penicillins.
2. In the treatment of respiratory diseases, you can use the same medications as in the 1st trimester.
3. Therapy for bacterial vaginosis is carried out using lincosamides (Dalacin ®) or metronidazole.
4. ENT diseases respond well to treatment with Amoxicillin ® and cephalosporins, if physiotherapy and rinsing do not provide positive dynamics.
5. As for, for the entire 9 months they are effectively and fairly safely treated with inhibitor-protected penicillins or cephalosporins. For dermatological problems, Ceftriaxone ® and Cefazolin ® are used.

Levomycetin ® , often prescribed in both cases, is strictly prohibited for use by pregnant women!

Is it possible to take antibiotics during pregnancy?

The purpose of these drugs is to fight pathogenic bacteria, so they are ineffective against fungi and viruses. Antibacterial tablets do an excellent job against infections, but have a number of serious contraindications and severe side effects due to their bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects. It is for this reason that antibiotic therapy is always prescribed by a doctor and carried out under his supervision.

You can take antibiotics during pregnancy, but they are extremely safe for the child and the woman herself. At the same time, self-medication is unacceptable: only a specialist will be able to correctly select the appropriate medicine and calculate the optimal harmless dose. Broad-spectrum medications are usually not prescribed to expectant mothers, since the risk of side effects too big. Based on laboratory tests to identify a specific pathogen, the appropriate medicine is used.

When antibiotic therapy is not needed

The effectiveness of antibacterial agents in the treatment of various serious pathologies has led to the massive and uncontrolled use of these drugs. However, they are not a panacea at all, since they suppress the vital activity of bacteria only. That is, using them for influenza or fungal infection is pointless and even dangerous, since the natural microflora of the body is destroyed and the immune system is weakened.

Viral colds should be treated with antiviral drugs.

Patients with influenza or acute respiratory infections are also prescribed safe antipyretics, inhalations, plenty of fluids and vitamin complexes. If genitourinary diseases that do not require antibiotic therapy worsen, appropriate medications are used. For example, candidiasis (thrush) is treated with antifungal drugs, and condylomas with antiviral drugs.

When it's vital

In some cases, when the threat to a woman’s health exceeds the possible danger to the child, the use of antibacterial agents is not only justified, but also mandatory. This promotes recovery and makes it possible to save and safely bear the child. Antibiotics during pregnancy are always prescribed for:

• inflammation of the lungs, bronchi, sore throat and other serious diseases of the respiratory system;
• gestational pyelonephritis;
• severe bacterial sinusitis or otitis media;
• bacteriuria of pregnant women;
• dangerous intestinal infections;
• sepsis (general blood poisoning);
• significant burns, non-healing purulent wounds.

Antibacterial therapy is also mandatory in case of diagnosis of borelliosis, brucellosis, etc.

The effect of antibiotic therapy on the fetus

It is undesirable to combine even the most harmless drugs and pregnancy, since by penetrating the protective placental barrier, these compounds negatively affect the processes of formation and development of the child. Therefore, when planning, a woman needs to pay maximum attention to strengthening immune system and healing of the body.

If the expectant mother took potent antibacterial agents, not knowing that conception had already occurred, there is no need to panic. In the early stages, a non-viable fetus is usually rejected by the body, and a healthy embryo is fixed in the uterus without problems and develops without pathologies. In this case, the course of treatment should be stopped, and prenatal screening should be done at 11 weeks. This study will help to reliably exclude or confirm the presence of genetic mutations and organic lesions.

Consequences of taking certain drugs

• The use of aminoglycosides leads to improper development of the inner ear and liver. These children are often diagnosed with deafness.
• The effects of fluoroquinolones have not been tested in humans, so there is no reliable data on their effect on the developing fetus. Animal tests have proven the high toxicity of Ciprofloxacin and its negative effect on the formation of the musculoskeletal system.
• Medicines of the tetracycline group prevent the mineralization of the skeleton and teeth, accumulating in bone tissue. That is why these antibiotics are not used during pregnancy.
• Some broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents are also strictly contraindicated for pregnant women. The use of Syntomycin, Levomycetin and other chloramphenicol derivatives interferes with the development of bone marrow and hematopoiesis, and Biseptol slows down intrauterine growth and can disrupt the intrauterine development of the fetus.

The influence of antibiotic therapy on pregnancy and the female body

When teratogenic antibiotics are used in early pregnancy, spontaneous abortion most often occurs.

At a later stage, when the expectant mother does not know what antibiotics are available for pregnant women and takes potentially dangerous pills without a medical prescription, not only mutations and malformations are possible. Sometimes intrauterine fetal death is diagnosed and spontaneous or surgical abortion is performed.

The mother's body has an ambiguous effect. Taking medications for medical reasons promotes recovery and prevents the development of complications. However, during treatment, beneficial microorganisms also die, resulting in dysbacteriosis and weakened immunity.

Pros and cons of antibiotic therapy

The benefits of antibacterial therapy for complex infectious diseases in pregnant women are undoubted. On the one hand, it allows you to preserve and carry the fetus during severe infections, on the other hand, it prevents the occurrence of severe congenital infections, the development of fetal defects due to intrauterine infection and infection of the child during childbirth. In the latter case, infection occurs when passing through the mother's birth canal.

If antibiotics are prescribed correctly, the risk to the fetus is minimal. However, only a specialized specialist should prescribe treatment.

Antibiotics are medications that kill bacteria and microbes.

Treatment with antibiotics during pregnancy is usually tried to be postponed, since many of them cross the placenta and can affect the development of the fetus. But if a pregnant woman has a sore throat or pneumonia, genitourinary tract diseases or bacterial complications due to viral infection or the flu, taking antibiotics during pregnancy cannot be avoided.

The drug for treatment must be selected by a doctor, taking into account the duration of pregnancy, the severity of the disease, what antibiotics can be taken during pregnancy, and what drugs the bacteria found in the body will be sensitive to. When choosing antibiotics during pregnancy, it is better not to read reviews about the drugs, but to completely trust your doctor.

Sensitivity to antibiotics during pregnancy

Doctors distinguish:

• broad-spectrum antibiotics that suppress various groups of microbes;
• antibiotics that act only on certain types of bacteria.

Pregnancy is not the time to experiment and choose a drug at random. During pregnancy, you can take antibiotics if tests have identified the causative agent of the disease and determined its sensitivity to specific drugs.

If for some reason it is not possible to conduct a study, but treatment needs to be started, the doctor will determine which antibiotic to choose during pregnancy - most likely it will be a broad-spectrum antibiotic.

Some pregnant women think that the effect of antibiotics on pregnancy can be reduced by reducing the dose of the drug. But the dose of antibiotic for a pregnant and non-pregnant woman is the same. It is designed in such a way as to suppress the growth of bacteria. By reducing the dose yourself, you will not defeat the causative agent of the disease, but will only “accustom” it to the drug. The treatment will have to be repeated, and choosing a different antibiotic.

Antibiotics allowed during pregnancy

There are so-called safe antibiotics during pregnancy - drugs that have not been found to have a negative effect on the fetus:

• penicillin antibiotics (Amoxicillin, Oxacillin, Ampicillin);
• cephalosporins (Cefazolin, Cefatoxime);
• macrolides (Erythromycin, Azithromycin).

Antibiotics used during pregnancy can later be prescribed to a woman during breastfeeding. They are also suitable for babies in their first year of life.

Use of antibiotics during pregnancy

It is undesirable to take antibiotics at the beginning of pregnancy, when the formation and formation of internal organs and systems, and in the 2nd and 3rd trimester and during breastfeeding, taking antibiotics is possible if this is necessary for the mother.

It should be remembered that it is advisable to take antibiotics during pregnancy only if the disease is not of a viral, but of a bacterial nature, and this is confirmed by tests.

How do antibiotics affect pregnancy?

There is an opinion that antibiotics can cause genetic abnormalities and cause birth defects in the fetus, but modern research shows that this is not the case. However, some antibiotics early stage Pregnancies can indeed have a toxic effect on the embryo and cause hearing and vision impairment or damage the internal organs of the fetus.

Antibiotics and pregnancy planning

If a woman or her partner has been sick and taken antibiotics and other medications, doctors advise postponing planning a pregnancy after antibiotics for 3 months. During this time, the drugs will be completely removed from the body, the health of the partners will be restored, the immune system will be strengthened, and pregnancy after antibiotics will proceed easily and without problems.

But if planning a pregnancy cannot be postponed after taking antibiotics, you need to consult a geneticist: some types of antibiotics can affect conception and fetal formation.

Antibiotics in early pregnancy

In the first trimester of pregnancy, antibiotics are undesirable, since during this period the main systems of the fetus are formed. But many expectant mothers take antibiotics in the first weeks of pregnancy simply because they do not yet know about their situation, and then they worry whether it is possible to maintain the pregnancy?

In the first two weeks, the embryo is not connected to the mother’s blood, so if you took a course of antibiotics without knowing you were pregnant, there is no threat to the fetus.

If there is a need to take antibiotics during pregnancy, the 1st trimester is not best time. If possible, treatment is postponed. For example, urogenital infections detected during pregnancy registration begin to be treated after the 20th week. If treatment is urgently needed, the least toxic drugs are selected.

Antibiotics during pregnancy 2nd trimester

During the 2nd and 3rd trimester, the formation of the internal organs and systems of the fetus has already occurred, so the list of antibiotics that can be used expands significantly. During this period, it is advisable to treat identified infections so that they do not harm the child.

Is it possible to take antibiotics during pregnancy?

If a woman took antibiotics during pregnancy, this does not mean that the child will necessarily have any health problems. The main thing is that the treatment is prescribed by a doctor after performing the necessary tests.

Untreated bacterial infections can pose a serious threat to the fetus, while pregnancy after taking antibiotics and even pregnancy while taking antibiotics usually proceeds without complications and with the right treatment approach to the expectant mother There's nothing to be afraid of.

A regular antibiotic and pregnancy are not the best best combination both for the health of a pregnant woman who is in the early stages, and for the intrauterine development of the child. The components of such drugs can have a very negative effect on the fetal organs, the central nervous system and give rise to the development chronic diseases. Antibacterial medications should be taken according to vital indications for the mother under the supervision of the attending physician.

What are antibiotics

Antibacterial drugs or antibiotics are a set of groups of pharmacological drugs that have a detrimental effect on pathological microorganisms. By origin they are distinguished:

1. Natural. Obtained using biological synthesis, i.e. The producer is cultivated on an artificial nutrient medium, after which the antibiotic is isolated from it.
2. Synthetic. Obtained by artificial chemical synthesis.
3. Semi-synthetic. Isolated in a combined way: in a natural antibiotic molecule, one molecule is replaced by another through chemical reactions. This production method helps create drugs that fight bacteria that are resistant to standard antibiotics.

In addition, all antibacterial drugs are divided into two large groups according to their effect:

1. Bactericidal. Such drugs directly cause the death of the bacteria themselves in several ways: they interfere with the synthesis of nucleic acids or cell walls, disrupt protein synthesis, and block the action of enzymes that ensure respiration.
2. Bacteriostatic. They prevent the proliferation and increase in the number of bacteria: unable to reproduce, they are eliminated by the cells of the immune system of a sick person.

Antibacterial drugs can be used both for systemic use (tablets, capsules, solutions for intravenous or intramuscular administration) and for local use (creams, ointments, gels, pastes). The drug should be prescribed by a doctor after receiving the results of laboratory tests. The choice of medication depends on the type of pathogen and the stage of the disease.

Is it possible to take antibiotics during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, antibacterial drugs can be taken. However, it is undesirable to use antibiotics in the early stages of pregnancy, when the formation of internal organs and systems begins, because this may contribute to the development of serious anatomical or physiological abnormalities. At later stages of gestation, the use of approved antibacterial agents under medical supervision will not have negative consequences for the mother or fetus.

When you can't do without antibiotics during pregnancy

Doctors try to delay treatment with antibacterial agents during pregnancy as much as possible, because Many of the drugs cross the placenta and can provoke the risk of congenital pathologies. However, if a pregnant woman has an acute illness of an infectious nature, taking broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs is necessary. Here are some examples of pathologies that require the mandatory use of antibacterial agents:

• chronic pyelonephritis;
• pneumonia;
• Chronical bronchitis;
• bacterial complications after surgical interventions;
• acute intestinal infections;
• infected wounds;
• extensive open injuries;
• severe infectious complications.

Rules for taking antibiotics during pregnancy

During long-term use of antibacterial drugs, a pregnant woman should follow the following rules:

1. Course of treatment and dose medicinal product must be strictly followed.
2. Only approved antibiotics should be used during pregnancy.
3. If side effects occur, you should stop taking the medication and consult a doctor immediately.
4. You should not start taking any medicine (even vitamins) at the same time as antibiotics without your doctor's knowledge.
5. It is necessary to use additional medications that reduce the harmful effects of antibiotics on a woman’s body, for example, Linex or Lactofiltrum.

When antibiotic treatment during pregnancy will be useless

It is not advisable to use antibiotics for pregnant women in the absence of laboratory test results that confirm that the infectious disease is bacterial in nature. If you use antibacterial drugs for viral or mycotic lesions, they will not give the desired therapeutic effect, and the risk of toxic damage to the embryo will be high.

For example, antibiotics for pregnant women will not help with colds or flu, so they should not be used for self-medication for these diseases.

What antibiotics are possible during pregnancy?

There are several safe groups of antibacterial drugs that do not provoke morphological and physiological disorders in the fetus and do not have a toxic effect on the mother’s body. Such drugs include antibacterial drugs from the groups of cephalosporins and macrolides. The components of these drugs are quickly metabolized and excreted by the kidneys without affecting the functioning of the body.

In 1st trimester

1. It is extremely undesirable to take antibiotics in the first trimester of pregnancy, but if their use cannot be avoided, it is necessary to carefully select the drug and select the dose of the drug. Here are some antibacterial medications that will not harm the fetus in the early stages: Dioxidine . Antibiotic, quinoxaline derivative. Prescribed for lesions by streptococci, staphylococci, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The advantage of the drug is its wide range of effects on harmful microbes, and the disadvantage is high risk
2. Cefazolin side effects.

. An antibiotic from the cephalosporin group is used to treat bacterial infections of the respiratory system and to prevent microbial complications after operations. The advantage of Cefazolin is its effectiveness even at low dosages, but the disadvantage is the need to use several courses to achieve a therapeutic effect.

In the 2nd trimester

1. Antibiotics during pregnancy from the fourth to sixth months for pharmacological therapy are prescribed as follows: Azithromycin
2. . This antibiotic has a broad spectrum of effects on gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms. The disadvantages of the drug include intolerance to some of its components in patients with hypersensitivity, and its advantage is its low price and the absence of negative effects on the fetus.. Semi-synthetic antibiotic from the group of cephalosporins. The medicine in the form of capsules or tablets is used for pharmacological treatment of infectious lesions of the ENT organs. The advantage of using the drug is its rapid effect, and the disadvantage is the high price.

In the 3rd trimester

In the last months of pregnancy, the following antibacterial medications are prescribed for bacterial lesions:

1. Levomycetin. A broad-spectrum drug that is directed against gram-positive microorganisms. As a rule, the drug in the form of tablets or ointments is used to prevent infectious lesions. The advantage of the drug is its weak toxic effect on the body, and the disadvantage is its lack of effectiveness in severe infectious lesions.
2. Ciprofloxacin. A drug from the group of fluoroquinols, with a wide spectrum of action, prescribed for the treatment of bronchitis, pneumonia, and pyelonephritis. The advantage of the drug is the low number of side effects, but the disadvantage is a possible negative effect on the cardiovascular system.

Consequences of taking antibiotics

The main dangerous consequences of antibiotic use occur in the child, not in the mother. The active substances of such medications penetrate the placental barrier into the fetal circulatory system and can cause disturbances in the growth and development of cells, tissues and organs due to their toxic effects. In addition, antibacterial agents can cause intrauterine death of a child.

In early pregnancy

After using antibacterial drugs in the first weeks of gestation, various disturbances in the structure of internal organs and tissues of the baby may develop, heart defects may form, disturbances in normal cell division and tissue differentiation. In some cases, due to long-term use of antibiotics dangerous to the embryo, the development of the fetus ended in a frozen pregnancy, therefore, after long-term use of antibacterial drugs, the development of the fetus should be carefully monitored using ultrasound.

. An antibiotic from the cephalosporin group is used to treat bacterial infections of the respiratory system and to prevent microbial complications after operations. The advantage of Cefazolin is its effectiveness even at low dosages, but the disadvantage is the need to use several courses to achieve a therapeutic effect.

Medicines that are used in the 2nd trimester, when the main organs and systems are already formed, do not cause much harm to the fetus, but can still cause some deviations from the norm in the future:

• violations of general immunity;
• insufficient functioning of kidney and liver cells;
• retardation in physical and neuropsychic development.

In the 3rd trimester

The use of antibacterial drugs in the third trimester of pregnancy can cause respiratory system disorders, because Under the influence of certain substances, insufficient production of surfactant may occur. As a result, at birth the baby’s lungs will not open and he will not be able to immediately begin breathing on his own. In addition, it is possible premature birth, changes in normal labor, hypoxia of the central nervous system.

What antibiotics should not be taken during pregnancy?

The pharmaceutical market offers drugs for the treatment of infections caused by bacteria that have a negative effect on the embryo and can lead to serious pathologies of the fetal organs with a high probability. Taking such medications is usually a direct indication for artificial termination of pregnancy. Here is a list of some medications that have a toxic effect on a child:

• Fluoroquinolone;
• Klacid;
• Erythromycin;
• Penicillin.

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