Is Z-Pack/Azithromycin Safe During Pregnancy?

[birdie.lee]

I wasn't sure where to put this thread...

A CNM prescribed azithromycin to me today.  I am 6 weeks pregnant.  CNM obviously wouldn't have prescribed it to me if it wasn't safe.  Pharmacist said as long as an ob-gyn prescribed it, it is fine.  Of course I am googling and finding places where it says it is not safe to take during pregnancy!

Help!

[Lula's Mom]

2 years ago I was 12 weeks pregnant and sicker than I have ever been in my life. I was desperate, so I took that Z-pack. (It didn't do anything for me because it turned out I had swine flu, not a bacterial infection.)  I was really worried about taking it and I googled obsessively too, but I did take it. My son is perfectly healthy and I can't see that it harmed him, thank goodness.

[birdie.lee]

Thank you so much for replying and sharing your story.  I am not getting better on my own so I am going to go ahead and take it.  Hubby tells me I should stop googling and listen to my doctor.  Easier said than done!

Edited to add: Swine Flu!  That must have been scary.  Glad you and your little one are okay!

[Peony]

I got some nasty respiratory bug last month, I usually can ride them out just fine but when it took me an hour just to get myself and 2 kids dressed to go to the doc office because I was so short of breath, it was time to get meds. I was 16 weeks then. It still took a while to recover but at least I could function somewhat, and breathe!

[birdie.lee]

Thanks Peony (love your user name).  Thanks for sharing and making me feel better about taking the antibiotics and getting well.

I took my first dose last night and I am in the feel way worse before you feel better stage.

[JudiAU]

I think it depends on what you mean by safe? Safe meaning you and the fetus can tolerate it, generally yes.

But there can be side effects of taking antibiotics, like enamel changes in the fetus depending on the week of fetal development. I have a friend who needs antibiotics for UTI and her infant had inferior enamel that several dentists linked to the antibiotics she took. I don't know what antibiotic she took.

If there are any behavioral changes you make to avoid needing them in the future, do it!

[Steady101]

I just had to take zpack last month. I had a sinus infection for weeks and it finally turned bacterial. It is a class B. The one thing that they told me and not sure if they told you is that is doesn't give you instant relief. It did stop the coughing the next day, but I didn't feel better until the full dosage was taken.