Doctors Uncover Link: Common Drug Raises Risk of Severe Birth Defects

• LEARN MORE: The congenital anomaly crisis exceeds that of thalidomide

A research finding indicates that using an antibiotic to treat a typical medical issue while pregnant might raise the chances of a newborn developing severe congenital abnormalities.

American researchers discovered that using a particular type of drug for a urinary tract infection A UTI greatly raised the likelihood of a newborn having a birth defect.

These matters included conditions such as a cleft lip and possible severe complications affecting an infant's heart.

Urinary tract infections—conditions that impact the urinary opening (urethra), bladder, or kidneys—are frequently encountered among expectant mothers.

They pose significant risks for pregnant women, potentially leading to severe outcomes for both the mother and the child.

However, specialists have discovered that an antibiotic commonly prescribed by doctors to treat urinary tract infections may lead to its own set of health issues.

Known as trimethoprim, scientists discovered that the likelihood of birth abnormalities in women who took the medication during their first trimester was 26.9 out of every 1,000 newborns.

This means approximately one in every 145 additional patients gave birth to a child with a congenital abnormality that they might not have had otherwise.

These flaws encompassed 'serious' cardiac abnormalities along with cleft lip and palate.

On the contrary, the danger associated with different antibiotics was smaller, ranging from 19.8 to 23.5 abnormalities per 1000 newborns.

Researchers stated that this number aligned with the typical likelihood of a newborn being born with a birth defect, indicating there was no "increased risk" associated with other antibiotics used for treating urinary tract infections.

Trimethoprim is dispensed approximately 130,000 times each month in England.

Female participants in the research, aged from 15 to 49 years, had received either a potent, specific antibiotic like nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim, or fluoroquinolone, or a "common" antibiotic, including penicillin.

Dr. Caroline Ovadia, an obstetrician from the University of Edinburgh, who did not take part in the study, stated that earlier studies indicated trimethoprim prevents a vital nutrient during pregnancy.

"Trimethoprim may inhibit the function of folic acid, something we understand plays a crucial role in the initial stages of fetal growth," she stated.

Urinary tract infections are some of the most frequent illnesses during pregnancy, impacting as many as 10 percent of expectant mothers.

This is approximately twice as common as in women who are not pregnant of the same age group.

If left unaddressed, these conditions have been linked to early labor, reduced fertility rates, kidney infections, and potentially sepsis.

Although urinary tract infections typically lead to symptoms such as a burning feeling, they may also show no signs, indicating concealed infections that do not produce visible issues yet continue to raise the likelihood of further problems.

This is why expectant mothers in Britain are provided with a urinalysis to detect underlying urinary tract infections during their initial visit with a midwife, usually scheduled around 10 weeks of pregnancy.

In America, the examination takes place somewhat later, ranging from 12 to 16 weeks.

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