Does anyone know of any abnormalities associated with antibiotics used to treat MRSA if taken while pregnant?!
Question: Does anyone know of any abnormalities associated with antibiotics used to treat MRSA if taken while pregnant.?
Before I knew that I was pregnant I caught topical MRSA and had to use very heavy antibiotics to treat the infection. I later found out that at that time I was about 4-5 weeks along. Does anyone know of any long term defects and/or abnormalities to the baby caused by these types of antibiotics.? I am very nervous that something could be wrong because of what I was taking. I spoke with my doctor and she said that because I was so early in the pregnancy that my baby will be fine. However, I thought that the most delicate stage of a pregnancy is during the first trimester. If anyone has any information related to this topic please send me an E-mail to better inform me or hopefully help ease my mind. Thanks so much!
S_MgrHealth Question & Answer
S_MgrHealth Question & Answer
Answers:
Firstly, congratulations!
Secondly, I don't have enough knowledge in that area to comment.
Just wanted to say this, whatever the case may be, there's not much you can do about it now. You are 100% pregnant and nothing is going to change that. I would recommend that you try not to stress about it (easy to say and hard to do).
The other thing to bear in mind is that MRSA can become septic and you're baby is in a terrible condition under those circumstances.
My two questions are this: if you did find out something might be wrong, what could you do about it (sort of rhetorical) and what antibiotics were you on.?
Update: I'm so sorry: when I re-read what I wrote (was tired at the time), I realised how confusing it was the way I had written it. Hope I didn't cause you any unnecessary stress.
Your baby would only be in a "terrible condition" (I should have written it as a "dangerous position" - was one long day yesterday and I was trying to do two things at once - not smart) if the MRSA had turned septic: not because you had MRSA. Thankfully it had been controlled with the antibiotics and was localised to the area of infection.
I'll do a bit of research on those antibiotics and come back with some links for you. My apologies again. =)
Update #2: Okay, I have access to MIMS Online so I have looked up the three medications you were on (whatever you do, don't stress out - all we can do now is hope that your little one is a healthy, happy, and bouncing baby).
1) Vancomycin is categorised as Category B2 (the definition is copied and pasted from MIMS):
"Category B2:
Drugs that have been taken by only a limited number of pregnant women and women of childbearing age, without an increase in the frequency of malformation or other direct or indirect harmful effects on the human fetus having been observed. Studies in animals are inadequate or may be lacking, but available data show no evidence of an increased occurrence of fetal damage."
What that's saying is that Vancomycin hasn't been commonly taken during pregnancy so it can't be recommended or approved (strong words for drug companies) during pregnancy. When it has, it hasn't been commonly associated with problems of the fetus (so don't stress). Not much research has been conducted into the effects of Vancomycin and pregnancy in animal models to date (which is what we do before we make any conclusive statements about a drug).
In one sentence, don't stress as it hasn't commonly been associated with fetal problems.
2) Doxycycline is categorised as Category D:
"Category D:
Drugs that have caused, are suspected to have caused or may be expected to cause an increased incidence of human fetal malformations or irreversible damage. These drugs may also have adverse pharmacological effects."
Sounds frightening but take a deep breath and remember that your doctor has advised that as far as they are concerned, you should be fine. If I were you and found myself stressing about the above, I would talk with my obstetrician about any concerns. It's a bit blunt when it's written down: best to have a chat with your doctors.
3) Can't find Vicodin in MIMS but still looking. Take care. =)
4) Okay, I hate referring to .com websites but this looks like the closest I'm going to get to the category of Vicodin. Apparently, it's Category C:
http://www.drugs.com/vicodin.html
According to MIMS, Category C means the following:
"Category C:
Drugs that, owing to their pharmacological effects, have caused or may be suspected of causing harmful effects on the human fetus or neonate without causing malformations. These effects may be reversible."
In the whole big scramble of the above, it's important to recognise that the effects of medications on a fetus very much depend on the strength of the drug, how many you're taking, how long you take them for...so on and so forth. Your doctor knows all this and has decided that the risk is low enough to not worry in your case.
I hope the above doesn't stress you out anymore - that's the last thing I want to do. Knowledge is power but it can be dangerous in the wrong hands. Take your doctor's advice and try not to stress out - that can impact on your baby in itself! =)Health Question & Answer
Secondly, I don't have enough knowledge in that area to comment.
Just wanted to say this, whatever the case may be, there's not much you can do about it now. You are 100% pregnant and nothing is going to change that. I would recommend that you try not to stress about it (easy to say and hard to do).
The other thing to bear in mind is that MRSA can become septic and you're baby is in a terrible condition under those circumstances.
My two questions are this: if you did find out something might be wrong, what could you do about it (sort of rhetorical) and what antibiotics were you on.?
Update: I'm so sorry: when I re-read what I wrote (was tired at the time), I realised how confusing it was the way I had written it. Hope I didn't cause you any unnecessary stress.
Your baby would only be in a "terrible condition" (I should have written it as a "dangerous position" - was one long day yesterday and I was trying to do two things at once - not smart) if the MRSA had turned septic: not because you had MRSA. Thankfully it had been controlled with the antibiotics and was localised to the area of infection.
I'll do a bit of research on those antibiotics and come back with some links for you. My apologies again. =)
Update #2: Okay, I have access to MIMS Online so I have looked up the three medications you were on (whatever you do, don't stress out - all we can do now is hope that your little one is a healthy, happy, and bouncing baby).
1) Vancomycin is categorised as Category B2 (the definition is copied and pasted from MIMS):
"Category B2:
Drugs that have been taken by only a limited number of pregnant women and women of childbearing age, without an increase in the frequency of malformation or other direct or indirect harmful effects on the human fetus having been observed. Studies in animals are inadequate or may be lacking, but available data show no evidence of an increased occurrence of fetal damage."
What that's saying is that Vancomycin hasn't been commonly taken during pregnancy so it can't be recommended or approved (strong words for drug companies) during pregnancy. When it has, it hasn't been commonly associated with problems of the fetus (so don't stress). Not much research has been conducted into the effects of Vancomycin and pregnancy in animal models to date (which is what we do before we make any conclusive statements about a drug).
In one sentence, don't stress as it hasn't commonly been associated with fetal problems.
2) Doxycycline is categorised as Category D:
"Category D:
Drugs that have caused, are suspected to have caused or may be expected to cause an increased incidence of human fetal malformations or irreversible damage. These drugs may also have adverse pharmacological effects."
Sounds frightening but take a deep breath and remember that your doctor has advised that as far as they are concerned, you should be fine. If I were you and found myself stressing about the above, I would talk with my obstetrician about any concerns. It's a bit blunt when it's written down: best to have a chat with your doctors.
3) Can't find Vicodin in MIMS but still looking. Take care. =)
4) Okay, I hate referring to .com websites but this looks like the closest I'm going to get to the category of Vicodin. Apparently, it's Category C:
http://www.drugs.com/vicodin.html
According to MIMS, Category C means the following:
"Category C:
Drugs that, owing to their pharmacological effects, have caused or may be suspected of causing harmful effects on the human fetus or neonate without causing malformations. These effects may be reversible."
In the whole big scramble of the above, it's important to recognise that the effects of medications on a fetus very much depend on the strength of the drug, how many you're taking, how long you take them for...so on and so forth. Your doctor knows all this and has decided that the risk is low enough to not worry in your case.
I hope the above doesn't stress you out anymore - that's the last thing I want to do. Knowledge is power but it can be dangerous in the wrong hands. Take your doctor's advice and try not to stress out - that can impact on your baby in itself! =)Health Question & Answer
What medication did you take.? Google the medication in terms of teratogenicity.Health Question & Answer