New Study Links 2 Antibiotics With Birth Defects

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/11/02/cdc-study-links-2-antibiotics-to-birth-defects.html

Taking antibiotics during pregnancy does not raise the risk for most birth defects, but new research by the CDC has found that there are some exceptions. 2 antibiotics, nitrofurantoins and sulfonamides, were linked to an increased risk for several birth defects.

Sulfonamides were tied to a higher risk for anencephaly, a fatal malformation of the skull and brain, as well as heart defects such as hypoplastic left heart syndrome and coarctation of the aorta, choanal artresia, transverse limb deficiency and diaphragmatic hernia. Nitrofurantoins were associated with increased risk for anophthalmia and microphthalmos and several congenital heart defects.

The most commonly used antibiotics didn't seem to be associated with the birth defects studied. Many antibiotics have been used safely for decades, but now resistant strains of bacteria are forcing doctors to use a wider variety of antibiotics, for some of which we have very limited information of their effect on an unborn baby. Pregnant women should remember that while some antibiotics can pose a risk for their child, infections are also risky and often need to be treated.