I just want to check and see what your experiences have been with this. I just found out I'm pregnant, and I'm also still nursing my one year old, and I have strep throat. The doctor prescribed me amoxicillin and she knew I was pregnant, so I'm assuming it's ok. But have any of you taken antibiotics in your first trimester, and was the baby fine? Obviously this illness and being prenant/nursing has taken it's toll on my body, so I'm sure the faster I can get healthy the better. What do you all think?
Thanks ladies for all your advice! I really appreciate it all. I decided it's better to take the amoxicillin, especially since I am so drained of energy. Now the sore throat is gone, and I just have a runny/stuffy nose to get over. Wow, being sick is so not fun, especially when pregnant. Thanks for all your concern. I think the baby and I will both be just fine!
I was prescribed penicillin when I was newly pregnant with my 1st. There was no problem at all. And congratulations, by the way!
I did the Z-pak with all three of my kids in the first trimester with no problems. It's definitely better than letting Strep get out of hand as it leads to some pretty serious things and your immune system won't handle it as well right now. Congratulations! Hope you feel better soon!
Hi T.:
You should definitely take the amoxicillin. People in younger generations don't realize that strep throat is a serious illness because it is so easily treated now. My father's 2-year-old sister died of strep throat in the 20s before antibiotics were discovered. My father also had strep throat in the 30s as a young boy -- and developed rheumatic fever from this. As a result of damage, he developed a heart murmur -- fortunately, his case was not that serious -- but some cases of rheumatic fever can cause severe heart damage or death.
The risk of untreated strep is far worse for your child than the risk of using antibiotics. Please don't delay in getting your strep treated.
Amoxicillin is far better than having an infection running through your body. The doctor would not have prescribed it if it were not safe and it is safe. Congrats on your pregnancy!
I had strep throat at the beginning of my pregnancy and during the entire last trimester. My doctor prescribed amoxicillin and told me it was safe to take during pregnancy.
As long as your doc knows your pregnant, they wont give you anything that would harm the baby. There are lots of medicines that are unsafe in pregnancy - even eyedrops can be a problem, so be sure to talk with your doc or get a list of approved medications before you take anything.
Edit: Here are a couple of websites that offer detailed information regarding medications in pregnancy. www.obfocus.com and www.drugsafetysite.com
http://www.obfocus.com/reference/Formulary/Drugs%20in%20P...
Amoxicilin is one of the most basic antibiotics, not nearly as intense as others. I know I took it for a sinus infection when I was pregnant and was fine (I don't remember what trimester I was in). But if the strep goes untreated it could be VERY dangerous for both you and the baby.
I took antibiotics with two of my children, one in the first trimester and one in the last trimester and they all turned out ok. The doc wouldn't give you something that would hurt your baby. If you are feeling insecure, call your OB. They will give you the reassurance you need.
I have a silly question though. Did your OB tell you it was ok to nurse while you were pregnant? I always heard that it took nutrients from the new baby. Let me know, I had a girlfriend ask me about it the other day and I would love to share your experience with her.
Take the antibiotics. It will not hurt your baby. However, strep can cause serious damage if it is not taken care of. You might get better on your own, but if you don't it can cause damage to several of your organs, especially the kidneys.
I am not sure about the safety of antibiotics in the first trimester. For our family, we avoid antibiotics if possible. We allow the body to fight the infection and build the immune system defenses, by using natural alternatives instead. If it were me, I would take garlic. Garlic is a natural antibiotic, and has antiviral and antibacterial properties. It is as powerful as penicillan. It will also go into your milk, and gives the 1 yr old some great benefits as well.
T.
Wellness consultant
The antibiotics are fine to take for both you and your unborn child. Remember that if you have an infection, your unborn child most likely has it too, so the antibiotics are for both of you.
As for treating strep with alternate treatments, such as the garlic one poster suggested, I would be very careful. There are several strains of strep, some more dangerous than others. As a teen, I had a case of strep and didn't realize it. It led to rheumatic fever, an illness in which my body attacked itself. This put me in bed for over a month, made my hair fall out, and gave me joint and heart problems that continue to this day. So don't let your strep go untreated! Depending on the strain, it can be very dangerous for you and your child.
To help counter the side effects of taking antibiotics, consider taking some probiotics. I recently bought a prenatal vitamin at vitamin cottage that has probiotics in it, made by rainbow light.
Good luck with the pregnancy and I hope you feel better soon.
I don't know but, I always reasked the dr. "so this is ok to take in the _____trimester of pregnancy?" And I would also re ask the pharmacist. People will be happy to look it up in a book if they don't know off the top of their head. Good luck. I know there are some antibiotics that are ok during pregnancy. I had to take something for a sinus infection and my kids are both fine. (3 and 5 years old). I always avoided it if possible but, some infections can be worse if not taken care of.
