Why Pregnant Women Shouldn’t Use Antibiotics Without Prescription

Medical experts have seriously warned against the use of antibiotics by pregnant women without a doctor’s prescription, highlighting the potential risks, particularly during the first trimester.

The medics in the field of obstetrics and gynecology said women should always remember that not all medicines are safe to use during pregnancy, including over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

The maternal health experts said certain medicines, including antibiotics taken during pregnancy, can increase the risk for birth defects, pregnancy loss, prematurity, infant death, or developmental disabilities.

The World Health Organization recently warned that the misuse of antibiotics is denting their efficacy and spawning resistant bacteria, which could be responsible for 10 million deaths worldwide by 2050.

It cited incorrect prescription as a “cause for concern,” adding that in all 14 countries, a third of the roughly 8,200 people surveyed had taken antibiotics without a medical prescription.

The global health body revealed that in some countries, over 40 percent of antibiotics were used without medical advice.

The WHO also noted severe gaps in people’s knowledge about antibiotics, meaning they could be taking them for the wrong reasons without realizing it.

The physicians who spoke during separate interviews with PUNCH Healthwise expressed worry that most pregnant women take some medicine (including over-the-counter and prescription drugs without considering their impact on the fetuses.

An Obstetrician and Gynecologist at the Alex Ekwueme University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Dr. Amuche Nwafor, told our correspondent that though pregnant women are prone to urinary tract infection, maternal health experts discourage the use of antibiotics in pregnancy because not all of them are safe.

Nwafor said besides antibiotics, they discourage drug use in pregnancy as much as possible, citing the health risks.

She warned that not all antibiotics are safe during pregnancy and, therefore, could impact the fetus negatively, especially during the early stages of pregnancy.

The gynecologist stated, “We only use antibiotics in pregnancy when it is extremely necessary. Some antibiotics are not safe during pregnancy.

“Some of them will affect the fetus negatively. Antibiotics can cause deformity in the baby. It can affect the bone.”

Nwafor said it was wrong for pregnant women to go to patent medicine dealers to buy antibiotics when they have urinary tract infections and other ailments, urging them to desist from it.

The gynecologist warned that the use of antibiotics in pregnancy without a doctor’s prescription has a devastating impact and could cause jaundice in babies.

According to her, it is cheaper and safer for pregnant women to visit the hospital when they are sick rather than patronizing patent medicine dealers.

However, the physician said there are still some antibiotics that are safe in pregnancy, which must be prescribed by the doctor.

“There are, however, some that are safe. But the problem is that some pregnant women, when they are sick, go to the chemist to buy drugs, not minding the impact on their unborn babies.

“Doctors don’t just give antibiotics. Even when they want to give, they give the safe ones.

“Some antibiotics can also affect the bone marrow. Others can cause jaundice, brain damage, and also affect the skin”, she said.

The gynecologist also noted that antibiotics can cause miscarriages.

In a study published in the BMJ journal, a weekly peer-reviewed medical journal by the British Medical Association, the researchers said children of mothers prescribed macrolide antibiotics during early pregnancy are at an increased risk of major birth defects.

Also, some studies have shown that taking antibiotics during pregnancy can cause miscarriage.

According to an online news portal, WebMD, taking certain types of antibiotics during pregnancy may boost the risk of miscarriage.

Nwafor advised pregnant women to register early for antenatal care and to always take their complaints to their physician rather than engage in self-medication.

She counseled, “Once women notice that they are pregnant, they should register for antenatal care in a health facility that has skilled birth attendants. In such facilities, you have professionals who have been trained on drug safety and therefore know the types of drugs that are safe for pregnant women. They know the drugs to give to women during pregnancy.

“Pregnant women are prone to urinary tract infection; they can have difficulty with urination. They can have coughs and catarrh, and all sorts of symptoms, just like non-pregnant persons. But, most times, because they feel that coming to the hospital is more expensive, most of them, when they are sick, go to the chemist to buy drugs that they feel are cheaper.

“Many diseases have similar symptoms, so it is dangerous for pregnant women to be taking drugs without a doctor’s prescription.”

Another maternal health expert and a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Akwa, Anambra State, Dr. Stanley Egbogu, said pregnant women are also advised not to take drugs, including antibiotics, except they are prescribed by a doctor.

Egbogu further said women who are in the habit of regular intake of antibiotics are at risk of destroying important vaginal flora (good bacteria).

“Most antibiotics, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive, and antiasthma drugs are not very safe in pregnancy, especially during the first trimester, when the development of all the body structures usually takes place”, he said.