Health and Medical

A recent study states that the use of antibiotics to deal with urinary tract infections in pregnant women increases the risk of birth defects child. Doctors and pregnant women were advised to be more careful of these two types of antibiotics.

Researchers found that the facts of birth defects in two types of antibiotics, the sulfonamide (eg, Bactrim) and nitrofurantoins (example: Macrobid). Meanwhile, erythromycins antibiotics and penicillin, which are prescribed for many pregnant women have been relatively safe.

“The use of antibiotics is known to be safe it should be a concern of doctors in making decisions to treat infections in pregnant women,” said Dr. Krista S. Crider, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, as reported by Reuters on Tuesday (3/11/2009).

Very dangerous bacterial infection in pregnant women and their fetuses. The use of antibiotics needs to more attention, because the study of the influence of antibiotics on pregnant women has not been done.

In this investigation, researchers analyzed six types of antibiotics in 13,000 pregnant women and unborn also detected defects 5000 pregnant women free from defects in the womb. As many as 30 percent of women in the group taking antibiotics during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester.

The result was, as much as 14 percent of women who gave birth to children with disabilities to be using antibiotics several months before pregnancy and in the first trimester.

Sulfonamide antibiotics associated with six types of birth defects, while nitrofurantoins related to four kinds of defects. Two types of antibiotics are most at risk of birth defects produce other antibiotics than the risk of birth defects is only 1 type.

“It is important to note that in every pregnancy, drug use will lead to at least 3 percent chance of birth defects. However, birth defects caused by two types of antibiotics are very rare,” said Croder.

Birth defects include abnormalities of the heart known as hypo plastic left heart syndrome. The use of sulfonamides to increase the risk of these defects to 4-fold. Occurs in 1 in 42,000 births.

This study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, and is expected to be guide doctors and pregnant women to use a safer antibiotic.

Filed under: Medical