Prescribed medications

• Tetracyclines are avoided during pregnancy because they can cause staining of the baby's teeth and sometimes abnormal bone development in the baby.
• Streptomycin and kanamycin have been linked with causing deafness in the baby.
• Cephalosporins taken within 2 days of the baby's birth can cause the baby to become jaundiced.
• Chloramphenicol can cause blood disorders in the mother and baby.

If you have an infection of the urinary tract, kidneys or vagina, then antibiotics are often necessary to avoid other complications during pregnancy (such as premature birth) . Most of the commonly prescribed antibiotics for pregnant women are thought to be relatively safe, and much less of a risk to the baby than not treating the infection.

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Last revised: Tuesday, 15 January 2013

This article contains general information only and is not intended to replace advice from a qualified health professional.