Should I take this antibiotic or not?

[Waggamamma]

I'm 39wks. I had protein+++ in my urine last Thursday, lab result came back yesterday evening and doc has prescribed an antibiotic. I had a routine mw appt yesterday morning and my urine dip was clear. So I don't know whether to take the antibiotics or not?

I'm reluctant because this will be my fourth course antibs in three months. I've also just got rid of thrush which the antibs will give me straight back again.

Also I will need IV antibs in labour (hopefully day now!) for group strep b.

I phoned mw team to ask and she said it was my call completely and I could wait and see if I get symptomatic of a urine infection then take it.

[CoolCat2014]

Your choice, but I thought the risk with UTIs was it can being on labor, which I guess you'd not really be to worried about at 39 weeks? Esp, if antibiotics would cause thrush again. Do you have any symptoms?

You could try drinking lots an lots of cranberry juice to see if it clears it?

[Waggamamma]

I don't have any symptoms and my urine dip test was clear yesterday which is why I'm not sure whether to take them or not. If I definitely had an infection I'd take them.

I'm mostly worried about having thrush whilst in labour and it causing difficulties breastfeeding as I really struggled to feed my ds, partly due to thrush. Also the affect of unnecessary antibs on baby's immune system.

I don't know what to do for the best.

[HotMommy]

Personally I would be wary if it because there is a link between taking antibiotics in late stage pregnancy and the baby having eczema and allergies. I took antibiotics in late pregnancy and my daughter has multiple food allergies and eczema. Of course I have no way of knowing if they made any difference but I wouldn't do it again. I would also take some probiotics now and when you are breastfeeding to counteract the negative effects of the antibiotics. Again it's not proven but there is some evidence that they can help.

[DinoSnores]

What lab result came back? If it is the urine culture, then the doctor will have seen a confirmed bacterial infection with which antibiotics it is sensitive to. It may be that you have cleared it yourself in the interim.

[Waggamamma]

Yes, it was lab results from a urine culture last thurs and the dip stuck test was clear by this Wednesday.

[ShadowStar]

Just to counter HotMommy's anecdote, I was on a course of prophylactic antibiotics for the week before DS1 was born.

DS1 is now 3yrs and is showing no signs of having any allergies or eczema.