Every medication choice you make during pregnancy needs to be carefully considered. One such drug that might be taken into account is the frequently prescribed antibiotic ceftriaxone. It is essential for expectant mothers and healthcare professionals to comprehend its use and safety during pregnancy.
Although ceftriaxone is used to treat many bacterial infections, pregnant women may want to consider its effects. It is crucial to consider the advantages and possible drawbacks of using this medication during pregnancy. You will learn all you need to know about ceftriaxone in this article, including its applications, safety measures, and things to think about before taking it.
We hope to provide you with easily understandable information so you can make well-informed decisions about ceftriaxone during pregnancy by distilling the essential details. To ensure a healthy pregnancy, it is essential to understand how this medication affects both you and your unborn child, regardless of whether you are currently prescribed it or are just considering your options.
- Features of the drug
- Principle of action
- Is it allowed during pregnancy?
- When it is prescribed to expectant mothers?
- Contraindications
- Side effects
- Instructions for use
- Reviews
- Video on the topic
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Features of the drug
"Ceftriaxone" stands for the same class of antibiotics that is so widely used as cephalosporins. It is a member of these medications’ third generation. The drug is only made as an injection because the active ingredient is rapidly destroyed in the gastrointestinal system. Many Russian and international companies produce the medication, so you can find it in pharmacies both plainly labeled "Ceftriaxone" and under names that include an acronym or a second word, like "Ceftriaxone-Jodas" or "Ceftriaxone-LEKSVM."
All of these goods are sold as a white or yellowish powder and come in glass bottles that are sealed with a rubber stopper and a metal lid (or occasionally a plastic stopper). Although a package can only hold one bottle, boxes typically contain five or ten bottles. A few suppliers provide ampoules containing solvent in addition to powder.
The compound of the same name, supplied as sodium salt, is the sole and primary ingredient in the powder. One bottle may contain 250 mg, 500 mg, 1000 mg (1 g), or 2000 mg (2 g) of it. The medication’s composition contains no auxiliary ingredients. The clear liquid within the glass ampoule is sterile water if the powder is sold with a solvent.
Principle of action
The bactericidal effect of the active ingredient "Ceftriaxone" has a fairly broad spectrum. It causes pathogenic microorganisms to stop forming cell walls, which leads to the pathogens’ death and the cessation of the inflammatory process.
Pyogenic streptococci, meningococci, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Fusobacterium, Gonococci, Shigella, Salmonella, Clostridia, and numerous other microorganisms are all susceptible to the effects of such an antibiotic.
It might not, however, be effective against all strains of bacteroids, pseudomonads, enterococci, and staphylococci. Furthermore, since injections have no effect on pathogenic fungi, viral particles, or protozoa, the decision to prescribe "Ceftriaxone" is made on an individual basis; the medication is only administered when the pathogen is susceptible to it.
Is it allowed during pregnancy?
Tests have not revealed that "Ceftriaxone" is harmful to the developing foetus. Developmental issues and growth retardation are not documented as a result of its use during pregnancy. Additionally, the medication has no teratogenic effect, meaning that using it does not raise the risk of congenital diseases. This permits the application of "Ceftriaxone" even in the initial phases, should the necessity arise. To lower the risks for the fetus, they attempt to avoid using most other medications during the first trimester since this is when its most vital organs are developing, if at all possible.
Pregnancy planning should address any infectious disease a woman may have. By doing this, the use of antibiotics during the first few months of pregnancy will be reduced. Ceftriaxone is only recommended for a period of 12 to 16 weeks when the mother’s life is in danger. In this instance, the potential risk can be disregarded because the treatment will actually benefit the patient.
In the second trimester, the drug can be prescribed more often, but only after a medical examination, when the woman has indications for antibacterial treatment. If the expectant mother has symptoms of infection during this period, for example, at 21 weeks, she should first consult a specialist who will decide whether antibiotics need to be injected, or oral medications can be used. In the 3rd trimester, Ceftriaxone can also be used, Since its active substance does not affect the condition of the uterus and is unable to worsen the generic process. In the later stages, the medication, as in the 2nd trimester, can only be used as prescribed by a doctor.
When it is prescribed to expectant mothers?
Many infectious diseases, such as tonsillitis, otitis, bronchitis, sinusitis, and pneumonia, are treated with "Ceftriaxone." The medication is in high demand for treating bone infections as well as infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. Serious bacterial illnesses such as cholangitis, meningitis, peritonitis, endocarditis, lung abscess, and pyelonephritis are treated by the medication.
Polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios can also be injected into it by expectant mothers, as these issues are frequently infectious.
Understanding the potential advantages and risks of using "Ceftriaxone" during pregnancy is essential. If your doctor has prescribed this antibiotic, you will find in-depth instructions in this article that will help you use it safely and give you the knowledge you need to make decisions about using it while pregnant.
Contraindications
Women who are hypersensitive to this antibiotic or any other cephalosporin medication should not take "Ceftriaxone." Additionally, if you have a penicillin or carbapenem allergy, it cannot be injected. When there is severe kidney damage or liver failure, the medication should not be used.
Side effects
Allergy reactions, such as fever, swelling, erythema, rash, or itching, may happen while receiving "Ceftriaxone" treatment. When you experience such symptoms, you must stop taking this medication right away and select a different group’s equivalent. Injections can occasionally cause localized reactions. It is possible for the injection site to become painful if the drug is injected into muscle tissue. Injections intravenously can cause pain as well as the occasional development of phlebitis.
Other side effects of "Ceftriaxone" include dizziness, headaches, and dyspepsia symptoms. Rarely, the medication can cause serious side effects like pancreatitis and enterocolitis, which call for stopping the injection course right away.
Injections of "Ceftriaxone" may result in secondary infections or candidiasis in the context of weakened immunity. Some women experience changes in blood counts when taking such antibiotics; for instance, a decrease in leukocyte and platelet counts, a change in prothrombin time, and an increase in liver enzyme activity. Occasionally, there are additional variations in the urine analysis; for instance, the patient’s sample may contain red blood cells.
Instructions for use
The doctor determines the best way to administer the antibiotic after determining whether the expectant mother needs "Ceftriaxone." The medication can be injected into a vein or into muscle tissue. Because intramuscular injections are very painful, the powder in the bottle is diluted with "Lidocaine" specifically for them. This means that the expectant mother must be able to tolerate this type of anesthetic on a regular basis. The injection site is changed for the subsequent injection, and the drug is injected where the muscle is clearly expressed—not just in the buttock but also in the thigh or shoulder region.
Both drip and jet intravenous injections are possible. The solution needs to be given extremely slowly if the drug is being injected by jet. Depending on the antibiotic dosage, the powder must first be dissolved in 5–10 ml of water for injection. The prepared solution is then injected into the venous blood for a duration of 2-4 minutes. If intravenous drips are recommended, the medication should be dripped for at least half an hour after adding saline, glucose solution, or another infusion medication (apart from those containing calcium) to the bottle.
Ceftriaxone dosage is chosen on an individual basis, taking the disease’s course into consideration. A single daily injection can be administered, or the recommended daily dosage can be split between two injections. Four grams is the most antibiotics that can be taken in a day. The doctor decides on the length of treatment for each patient individually. Injections are recommended for 4-5 days for certain expectant mothers and 10 days or longer for others.
Everything is dependent on the type of disease, how severe it is, and how the female body responds to treatment.
Reviews
Many positive reviews of Ceftriaxone are left by women who had to take it while expecting a child. They claimed that the medication rapidly treated bacterial infections, including pyelonephritis, acute otitis, and pneumonia. The medication’s low cost, short list of contraindications, and broad range of antimicrobial activity are some of its benefits.
The dosage form is one of the drawbacks, as is the fact that intramuscular injections without anesthetic are extremely painful and necessitate the assistance of medical professionals to inject the medication into a vein. Negative reviews also mentioned adverse effects like headaches, skin rashes, and loose stools. In other instances, the medication had to be switched out for a new one a few days into the course of treatment because it was ineffective against a particular strain of bacteria.
The possible benefits and risks of using "Ceftriaxone" during pregnancy must be carefully considered. This drug, an antibiotic, is occasionally prescribed to treat severe infections that might otherwise endanger the mother and the unborn child. However, a healthcare provider must always closely supervise its use.
"Ceftriaxone" should only be used by pregnant women under the close supervision of a physician, who will make sure that the dosage and duration recommended are suitable for their particular condition. It is imperative to engage in candid conversations regarding any worries or possible adverse reactions with medical professionals.
Ultimately, even though "Ceftriaxone" has been shown to be effective in treating some infections, it is important to exercise caution and always seek professional medical advice before using it during pregnancy to protect the health and safety of both the mother and the unborn child.
