Is it safe to take antibiotics during the 31st week of pregnancy?

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

From your description, you have experienced mild, intermittent burning during urination with a bacterial count of 2,000 on lab testing. Since your RBC (red blood cells) and pus cell counts were normal, and the flow cytometry suggested no need for culture, this might represent either mild bacterial colonization or contamination, particularly if the sample was not collected with proper cleaning.

However, in pregnancy, even low-level bacteriuria can sometimes be clinically significant, as it increases the risk of urinary tract infection (UTI) and, if untreated, pyelonephritis.

Typical symptoms suggesting a UTI include:

• Burning or pain during urination.
• Frequent or urgent urination.
• Lower abdominal pain.
• Cloudy or foul-smelling urine.
• Fever or back pain (which may indicate upper UTI).

If any of these worsen or new symptoms appear, it is important to re-evaluate promptly. Pregnancy increases the risk of UTIs due to hormonal and anatomical changes. The main types include:

• Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB): Bacteria in urine without symptoms (seen in five to ten percent of pregnancies). It must be treated to prevent kidney infection.
• Acute cystitis: Infection of the lower urinary tract with symptoms like burning and frequency.
• Pyelonephritis: Kidney infection with fever, flank pain, nausea, or vomiting, which requires hospitalization.

You can take the following medication for your symptoms;

• You can take Nitrofurantoin (an antibiotic) 100 milligrams twice daily for five to seven days. It is generally safe during pregnancy but should be avoided near delivery, as it may cause hemolysis in newborns.
• Cephalexin (Cephalosporin antibiotic) can be taken at a dose of 500 milligrams four times daily for five to seven days. It is considered safe in all trimesters of pregnancy.
• Amoxicillin and Clavulanate (a Penicillin-type antibiotic) may be used at a dose of 625 milligrams three times daily for five to seven days, though it should be avoided in patients with a Penicillin allergy.

I hope this information helps you.

Feel free to ask further queries.

Thank you.

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

We categorize urinary tract infections into three distinct groups.

• The first category involves patients who exhibit symptoms, and when a complete urine examination yields positive results, treatment is necessary.
• The second category pertains to symptomatic patients experiencing burning during urination, urgency, frequency, and dysuria, where a complete urine examination returns negative results; in this case, treatment should still be administered.
• The third category includes asymptomatic patients whose complete urine examinations are positive, necessitating treatment.

Your situation falls under the first category, as you are symptomatic and your urine test results are elevated.

Trimethoprim (an antibiotic) is contraindicated during pregnancy due to its cardiogenic effects on the fetus, so I suggest the following alternatives: Tablet Cefixime (an antibiotic) 400 milligrams, to be taken once in the morning for seven days, and a Cranberry sachet, to be mixed with a glass of water and taken twice daily for 20 days.

I hope this information helps you.

Feel free to ask further queries.

Thank you.