Amoxicillin in pregnancy

[Pontouf]

I am 21+4 and have a horrible chest infection. I went to my GP last night mainly just to get a sick note for work but he listened to my chest and said he would strongly recommend antibiotics (I'm also asthmatic).

The thing is the surgery was running over an hour late (my appointment was 5.20pm and I went in at 6.35pm ) He is not my usual Dr and was very brusque and I got the feeling he wasn't really giving me his full attention and was trying to rush me out of the door. It took me two attempts to persuade him to give me a sick note. I told him I was pregnant and he just nodded and gave me a prescription or amoxicillin.

When I went to collect the prescription I asked the pharmacist if amoxicillin was ok for pregnant women and he said it's only recommended if the Dr considers it vital to the mother's health. The leaflet in with the drugs say not to take it if pregnant, TTC or breast feeding.

I feel like death on a stick and I realise that the baby continuing to get oxygen from me is pretty important but am worried about side effects. I can't really find anything specific on Dr Google. Does anyone have any concrete knowledge on whether I am ok to take it/advice for me. Is it reasonable to ring the midwife team (really just for emergencies/triage)?

I have also posted in chat.

I've taken it twice this pregnancy. Once for a chest infection and last week for a uti. Tbh I didn't question it as the dr knew very well I was pregnant and was asking me how far I was gone.

Thanks Strawberry, that's a relief

I've had shed loads of amoxycillin this pg, all docs and nurses said it was fine. I completely understand your worry, I nearly had an anxiety attack when I read the blurb about another antibiotic I had at the same time. I had pneumonia because I didn't get treatment for a chest infection. I ended up in hospital on an antibiotic drip (of penicillin) having chest X-rays, it was awful. And i had to have antibiotics which had the horrible blurb about what it does to rat babies. I've had a month off work so far and I'm still not right. I would take them without hesitation personally, having experienced what happens when you don't get things sorted.

Hi there Pontouf. I've just taken a course of amoxicillin for a chest infection and am 11 weeks pregnant. The Dr and pharmacist both agreed that it was safe to take during pregnancy. Unfortunately, my chest infection hasn't improved and I've now got pleurisy and have been prescribed another antibiotic (klaricid) which I'm not too sure about so am waiting to hear back from the midwife. I would take the amoxicillin and try to get better asap. I hope you feel better soon too tasmanian - you poor thing, sounds awful!

Good hope you feel better soon!!

I took loads last pregnancy and have already had some this pregnancy, they are not too keen on you having steroids but can't remember the reason but you can still have them. Antibiotics are definitely ok. Hope you feel better soon.

Thanks yellow, there's loads of us poorly pg women! I never had so much as a cold with my DD. pontouf, hope you're feeling better soon.

Thanks everyone. I am just so scared of doing something to harm the baby or putting my needs before the baby's inadvertently. I've had two mc and this baby is pretty precious (as of course all babies are!)

Hope everyone feels better soon

I took a 7 day course of amoxycillin for what was probably bronchitis and I was 34 weeks at the time. The GP who prescribed it looks after the antenatal appointments for the surgery and it was fine and I am so much better for it. Get better soon.

Oh pontouf, :( me too - a mmc and an ectopic in the last year. I know, these little beans are so precious.

It's as safe an antibiotic as you can find in pregnancy with a good track record and decades of use. Always the risk of allergic reaction etc but no reason not to take in Pregnancy. Far more likely you will cause harm to yourself and therefore baby by not treating an active chest infection.
I've had amoxycillin in my previous pregnancy for a chest infection, didn't hesitate. Also a doctor.

Thank you. Pretty confident about an allergic reaction as I've had it lot f time in the past (was a fairly sickly child!) although I know you can develop an allergy later. All good to know, thanks.

Another one with multiple courses of amoxycillin here, at 5 weeks, 11 weeks and 15 weeks for a tooth abcess that wouldn't go away, then co-amoxiclav at 16 weeks which finally got rid of it. Another 2 courses at 22/23 weeks for a chest infection that wouldn't budge. Several courses of cefalexin too for Utis.

I am allergic to amoxicillin, my gp helpfully told me I should take when I needed antibiotics as it was safer in pregnancy than the other ones, I politely declined and risked erythromycin!

Hi @rogersmellyonthetelly congrats on your child. I know this post is old but would really appreciate if you could share if there were any long term effects on your baby after all the antibiotics like asthma allergies or anything else. I am exactly in the same situation as you and to be honest I am very very stressed. Would really appreciate any words thanks!!!

JuicyIzzy how could the OP possibly know if the antibiotics were linked to any asthma or allergies her child might have developed?
Maybe start your own thread?

I would agree with @PeterpiperpickedapeckofpickledPEPPAS , if you start your own thread you can ask for everyone's experiences.

@JuicyIzzy

Bah, it posted instead of previewed 😤
There have been about 10 really old threads brought back to life recently, all about UTIs, antibiotic use, later effects etc etc. Maybe the same poster, who knows.

Hi @PeterpiperpickedapeckofpickledPEPPAS and @Regenbogen22 sorry if I said something wrong but was asking a question to @rogersmellyonthetelly . I am new here so not sure how to use this. I wanted to ask her specifically because she describes the Exact Same situation I am on and its been 10 years so just wondering how things turned out. Obviously there is no way of knowing if asthma is due to antibiotics but she can share if child turned out asthmatic or not.

I would say if your doctor knows you're pregnant and has prescribed you antibiotics, then you should take them. Whatever infection you have could prove more harmful to the embryo/fetus/baby than prescribed antibiotics.
And honestly, another poster could say yep, I took antibiotics in pregnancy and my child now has asthma/autism/myopia/small feet/whatever.....you can't assume a correlation!

@JuicyIzzy
It’s not a rule as such but it’s generally considered bad form on here to revive threads from years ago. One problem is that people don’t notice that it’s an old thread and answer the original question.
Look, you’re understandably concerned because medicine always has scary DO NOT TAKE IF PREGNANT warnings all over it. But seriously, whether or not OPs kid ended up with asthma or allergies will tell you absolutely nothing about whether the antibiotics you have been prescribed are safe for you to take. I can link you to a helpful website that drs and pharmacists use here in France to check if there are any reasons to worry about taking different medicines during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Under amoxicillin it says that there is a long history of women taking this drug during pregnancy and while breastfeeding and to date no link to adverse outcomes for the baby has been found. That’s basically as reassuring as it gets for medicine during pregnancy. It’s unethical to test things on pregnant women so the data is always a bit weird.

@PeterpiperpickedapeckofpickledPEPPAS thanks I had no idea about it being bad of reviving old threads. Thanks

@PeterpiperpickedapeckofpickledPEPPAS I will start my own thread.