Antibiotic Use During Pregnancy May Not Increase Risk Of Birth Defects

First Posted: Oct 30, 2015 02:28 PM EDT
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Some antibiotics used during pregnancy may not pose a threat to a child's physical development, according to a recent study.

During the study, researchers analyzed data collected via the Quebec Pregnancy Cohort-a population-based study of Canadian mothers and their newborns that recorded use of natural products, lifestyle and socioeconomic risk factors and pregnancy history. They evaluated 135,839 pregnancies, looking at both penicillin- and macrolide-use in expectant mothers. 

Researchers specifically examined two antibiotics that belong to the class known as macrolides: azithromycin and clarithromycin. Arizthromycin is specifically used to treat diseases, such as chlamydia, but can sometimes result in problems for the health of the child. 

"With penicillin, macrolides are amongst the most used medications in the general population and in pregnancy. However, debate remained on whether it is the infections or in fact the macrolides used to treat them that put women and their unborn child at greater risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including birth defects," said study author Anick Bérard of the University of Montreal and its affiliated CHU Sainte-Justine children's hospital. "We therefore aimed to estimate the risk of major congenital malformations after foetal exposure to the two most commonly used macrolides, and failed to find any."

"Of these, 1.7 percent involved exposure to the macrolides during the first trimester, while 9.8 percent of pregnancies resulted in the child having a major congenital malformation. After statistical analysis, we found no meaningful association between the groups compared to penicillin use," added Bérard.

However, researchers noted that more studies will be needed in order to cement the safety of antibiotics that are not subscribed as frequently.

The study is published in the journal Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety.

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