CHICAGO -- Researchers say they've found a surprising link between some common antibiotics used to treat urinary infections and birth defects.
The new study in November's Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine is the first large analysis of antibiotic use in pregnancy.
It finds that mothers of babies with birth defects were more likely than mothers with healthy babies to report taking two types of antibiotics during pregnancy. Those were sulfa drugs and urinary germicides called nitrofurantoins.
The study's lead author says it's the first line between urinary tract treatments and birth defects and will need to be confirmed by additional studies.
However, experts note that left unchecked, the bacterial infections also can cause problems for a fetus and say women shouldn't avoid antibiotics entirely.
The study finds that penicillins, which are the most-used antibiotics in early pregnancy, appear to be the safest.
Krista Crider, study author and geneticist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Study author Krista Crider says her findings suggest pregnant women can safely use many antibiotics.
Krista Crider, study author and geneticist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Study author Krista Crider says her data from ten states suggest pregnant women needn't worry about taking two common types of antibiotics -- penicillins and erythromycins.
Krista Crider, study author and geneticist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
The study's author Krista Crider warns that although many common antibiotics appear safe for pregnant women, two kinds may cause severe birth defects -- sulfonamides and nitrofurantoins. She also says research shows many antibiotics are perfectly safe for pregnant women, so it's important that mothers-to-be not let infections go untreated.
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