Has anyone taken Cefalexin in pregnancy before?

[MayimBialik]

Off on hols tomorrow - started getting uncomfortable back and lower abdominal pains today so thought I better get myself off to the docs.

Urine sample showed traces of blood and protein so UTI looks likely. I've been prescribed Cefalexin which the doc assured me was fine. The leaflet says 'take special care if you are pregnant' so just wanted to get a big of reassurance that others have taken this and been fine.

Nervous because I haven't taken so much as a paracetamol since I've been pregnant! (but definitely don't want to get a nasty kidney infection!)

How many weeks pg are you?

The prescribing information for cefalexin shows that there is no data available suggesting a risk in taking it while pregnant. As with the vast majority of medicines, there will have been no clinical trials in pregnant women to conclusively show it is safe. So all doctors can do is weigh up the risk of the drug with the risk of the infection.

I had to have i.v. antibiotics (not cefalexin) when 8 weeks pg and have other medicines that I have to take daily. I am 31 weeks pg and so far all is ok.

Hope you have a good holiday.

Thanks running.

I'm 27 weeks and feeling very achey

In your position, I would take the antibiotics. I have read that some serious UTIs can bring on premature labour!

I took cefalexin twice with this pg (taken at 3-4m and I am 7m now) due to sinus infections/bronchitis/ear infections. No problems with baby so far

UTIs can be pretty serious so anti-biotics are a good bet. If they have cultured the bacteria then they will have chosen the most appropriate pg compatible anti-biotic.

Hope you feel better very soon.

Hi there. I have kidney disease and various other health problems and also have to take immunosuppressant medication which means I am much more susceptible to infections. I am 12+ 6 at the moment and have taken cefalexin every day of my pregnancy and have to continue to take every day for the rest of my pregnancy. Obviously I would prefer not to do this but I have to and there have been no problems so far and my doctors have assured me that it is not at all dangerous for the pregnancy. Hope that reassures you a little bit!

You can take cefalexin in pregnancy. no research data doesn't mean much bcos ethically they can't run trials on pregnant women!

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Have any of you ever seen blood in your urine during an infection before (have written another thread about this too) - a bit freaked out by my first UTI!

Yes I have! I have had UTIs all my life and sometimes blood in urine with them.

Thanks Vicky. Such a pain isn't it. Literally!

I've taken it. V few anti biotics I can take so had it quite a bit.

I had it for a UTI last week - I was only 5 weeks. It gave me the galloping trots btw, and apparently this is a common side effect, so make sure there's a toilet handy.

I know it's different cos your baby is developing but just wanted to say my newborn DS took it for months to prevent uti's so it is safe for babies (no help for antenatal safety I know) but thought you might like to know.

I don't think it is dangerous as such, not for the babym so please don't worry about that.

However just a word of caution, if you begin getting diarrhoea with it, then stop taking it. I was given cefalexin for mastitis about 4 years ago, and it upset my stomach - I was then prescribed it again the next week for the same thing, and ended up with c-difficile, which was awful.

It's usually safe to take but does have a higher risk than say trimethoprim or amoxycillin etc for c-diff. So at the first sign of diarrhoea, I think it's a good idea to stop it and ask for something else.

Good luck and I hope you have no problems at all x

I have multiple sclerosis and it causes problems with my bladder which means unless I'm on antibiotics I get UTIs. Have been on cefalexin for a few years now. I fell pregnant whilst on all my medication an had to come off everything except the cefalexin. My GP said it was fine to stay on it and every dr or midwife I've mentioned it to hasn't batted an eyelid xx