Taking penicillin in first trimester???

[LittleCedar]

Can I ask for some advice please?

I went to the docs this morning as I have an insect bite on my leg (it appeared after returning from a holiday in Thailand 5/6 weeks ago). The doctor said it is infected (although there is no pain - it just looks like a red, medium sized bump) and he prescribed a course of antibiotics (called Flucloxacillin) and a cream (called Fucidian acid).

He said there are 'no known side effects in pregnancy as far as anyone is aware' but the paperwork instead the medicine boxes says you should be "extermely careful" when taking them during pregnancy.

Now I am all confused and worried...especially as I am 7 weeks pregnant and in that all important first trimester.

I googled the medicines and it says there were no known side effects during animal testing but in humans the effects for pregnant women are not known.

Should I take them? Help!

I was told that they can never guarantee anything with pregnancy due to it being completely unethical to test medication on pregnant women, but that given penicillin has been around for so long and there are no reported cases of it impacting on pregnancy, it should be absolutely fine. Admittedly I was a bit further along than you when it was prescribed (just over 19 weeks) but the Dr said it's penicillin they give to very prem babies and so on and so on.

Take them and try not to worry, the impact from an infection and blood poisoning could be horrendous!

My doctor said there were two things absolutely fine to take in pregnancy - paracetamol and penicillin!

Drugs companies cannot test drugs on pregnant women - those pesky ethics, so no-one ever says their drug is fine to take in pregnancy. However, millions of pregnant women have taken antibiotics (lots of urinary infections in pregnancy) and paracetamol with no negative effects.

You have to weigh up whether the risks of not treating an infected insect bite are greater than the risks from taking the antibiotics.

If you're really worried, why not give these people a phone. they provide telephone advice about medicines and drug use in pregnancy.
www.hpa.org.uk/ProductsServices/ChemicalsPoisons/PoisonInformationServices/NPISServices/
0 844 892 0111 during normal working hours.

Oh - they removed the link when I posted and phone number! www.hpa.org.uk/ProductsServices/ChemicalsPoisons/PoisonInformationServices/NPISServices/
[0844 892 0111]