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Antibiotics in the first weeks of pregnancy
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
We have all heard a million horror stories about the harm of antibiotics during pregnancy. Do they have any basis? Are antibiotics really that dangerous for the development of the unborn child in the first weeks of pregnancy? In fact, the answers to these questions are yes and no. Naturally, any use of drugs during pregnancy is not desirable, since it is not known how it will affect the development of the child, but on the other hand, there are cases when the disease can harm much more than taking certain drugs. For example, with pyelonephritis or a severe form of tonsillitis, you can’t do without antibiotics. Below we will try to tell you about those drugs that can be used during pregnancy, and those that are contraindicated. Antibiotics are drugs that act on various microorganisms.
First, it is worth talking about cases in which the use of antibiotics will not help:
- viral diseases (FLU, ARI, ARVI);
- cough of viral or allergic origin;
- inflammatory processes (joint and muscle pain);
- digestive system disorders (diarrhea, vomiting);
- candidiasis;
- elevated temperature.
You cannot do without the use of antibiotics in the following cases:
- urogenital infections (chlamydia, trichomoniasis);
- genitourinary system infections (cystitis, pyelonephritis);
- respiratory infections (severe forms of tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia);
- purulent wounds and burns.
Only the attending physician can prescribe an antibiotic. Usually, the dosage is no different from the usual one. Unauthorized reduction of the recommended dosage can lead to incomplete treatment of the disease. The ideal prescription of an antibiotic in the first weeks of pregnancy is its selection after interpretation of the antibiogram (according to the sensitivity of a specific pathogen).
Antibiotics permitted in the first weeks of pregnancy include:
- penicillin series (ampicillin, amoxicillin, amokiklav and others);
- cephalosporin series (cefazolin, ceftriaxone, suprax and others);
- a number of macrolides (erythromycin, rovamycin, vilprafen and others).
Antibiotics prohibited in the first weeks of pregnancy include:
- furadonin – causes developmental abnormalities in the first trimester;
- metronidazole - its use can cause disturbances in fetal development in the first trimester;
- Trichopolum – is highly not recommended for use in the first trimester, as it can cause developmental abnormalities;
- gentamicin - is used only when the mother's life is at risk, since if the dosage is incorrect it can cause complete deafness in the child;
- tetracycline series – toxic to the child’s liver;
- ciprofloxacin - has the ability to damage the baby's joints in utero;
- chloramphenicol – disrupts the hematopoietic system by changing the bone marrow;
- dioxidine - can lead to mutations in the fetus;
- Biseptol is very toxic for a child and causes growth and development delays;
- Furagin – has teratogenic properties.
It is worth remembering that after using antibiotics in the first weeks of pregnancy, not only pathogenic (bad) flora is killed, but also the necessary flora in the gastrointestinal tract and the beneficial flora of the vagina. Therefore, after completing a course of antibiotic treatment, you should not neglect drugs that restore normal microflora, such as Linex, Bifidumbacterin, Normobact, Hilak Forte and others.
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