Newsroom
A commonly prescribed antibiotic for urinary tract infections (UTIs) in pregnant women may raise the likelihood of serious birth defects, according to new research by American scientists.
The study found that women who took the antibiotic trimethoprim during the first trimester faced a higher risk of delivering babies with congenital abnormalities, including severe heart defects and cleft palate.
UTIs, which affect the urinary tract, bladder, or kidneys, are frequent during pregnancy and can pose serious health risks if untreated, such as premature birth and infection.
Researchers reported that among women using trimethoprim early in pregnancy, approximately 27 out of every 1,000 infants were born with birth defects. This translates to roughly one additional affected infant for every 145 women treated with the drug.
By comparison, other antibiotics commonly used for UTIs showed lower risks, with birth defect rates closer to the typical background rate of 20 to 24 per 1,000 births.
Trimethoprim is prescribed widely, with about 130,000 monthly prescriptions in England alone. The study examined women aged 15 to 49 who were prescribed various antibiotics, including nitrofurantoin, fluoroquinolones, and penicillin.
Dr. Caroline Ovadia, an obstetrics specialist at the University of Edinburgh not involved in the study, noted that trimethoprim may interfere with folic acid metabolism, an essential nutrient in early fetal development.
“Trimethoprim can inhibit folic acid, which we know is crucial in the first stages of pregnancy,” Ovadia said.
UTIs affect up to 10% of pregnant women, about twice the rate seen in non-pregnant women of similar age, and can sometimes be asymptomatic. Because of this, routine urine screening is offered during early prenatal care in many countries: around 10 weeks gestation in the UK and between 12 and 16 weeks in the U.S.
Untreated UTIs have been linked to complications including low birth weight, kidney infections, and sepsis, highlighting the importance of appropriate diagnosis and treatment during pregnancy.
With information from Daily Mail.
