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Antibiotic Prescribing in Obstetric Care
Neelam Banerjee (Assistant Professor)
Alka Kriplani (Professor)
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
Key Points
- Most antimicrobial agents can cross the placenta; therefore careful consideration regarding their use is required, particularly during the first trimester.
- Pregnant women are at increased risk of developing pyelonephritis through untreated urinary tract infections (UTIs). Multiple-dose antibiotic regimens for UTIs are more effective than single-dose regimens during pregnancy.
- Pregnant patients with syphilis require a penicillin regimen appropriate to the stage of the disease.
- Patients who develop endometritis following caesarean section (CS) require anaerobic cover in addition to a combination of penicillin and aminoglycosides.
- Single-dose antibiotic prophylaxis prior to emergency CS is as effective as two- or three-dose regimens.
Editor's Comment
Judicious use of antibiotics can bring about significant reductions in morbidity and mortality. In this paper, prescribing of antibiotics in the context of obstetric care is addressed, with the authors outlining the most effective antibiotics available for a myriad of differing conditions.
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