en
Scientific article
English

Antibiotic use and misuse during pregnancy and delivery: benefits and risks

Publication date2014
Abstract

Although pregnancy is considered as a physiological state, most pregnant women in developed countries receive multiple medications to prevent maternal or neonatal complications, with antibiotics among the most frequently prescribed. During pregnancy, antibiotics are often prescribed in the context of preterm labor, intrapartum fever, prevention of neonatal Group B Streptococcus fever, and cesarean section. Outside this period, they are commonly prescribed in the community setting for respiratory, urinary, and ear, nose and throat infection symptoms. Whereas some of the current indications have insightful reasons to justify their use, potential risks related to overuse and misuse may surpass the benefits. Of note, the recent 2014 World Health Assembly expressed serious concern regarding antibiotic resistance due to antibiotic overuse and misuse and urged immediate action to combat antibiotic resistance on a global scale. Most studies in the obstetrics field have focused on the benefits of antibiotics for short-term maternal and neonatal complications, but with very little (if any) interest in long-term consequences.

Keywords
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Pregnancy
  • Risk Assessment
Citation (ISO format)
MARTINEZ DE TEJADA WEBER, Begona. Antibiotic use and misuse during pregnancy and delivery: benefits and risks. In: International journal of environmental research and public health, 2014, vol. 11, n° 8, p. 7993–8009. doi: 10.3390/ijerph110807993
Main files (1)
Article (Published version)
accessLevelRestricted
Identifiers
ISSN of the journal1660-4601
447views
0downloads

Technical informations

Creation10/13/2015 3:31:00 PM
First validation10/13/2015 3:31:00 PM
Update time03/14/2023 11:54:06 PM
Status update03/14/2023 11:54:06 PM
Last indexation01/16/2024 7:39:57 PM
All rights reserved by Archive ouverte UNIGE and the University of GenevaunigeBlack