Alphabetical list:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Y Q Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
News: November 9, 2009
Two Antibiotics Linked to Birth Defects
November 9, 2009Most antibiotics used during pregnancy are safe, but researchers have found a link between two commonly prescribed drugs and birth defects.
The study, part of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study and published in the November issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, is the first analysis of antibiotic use in pregnancy. Researchers analyzed data from 13,155 mothers in 10 states whose infants had birth defects and compared them to mothers in the same region who had healthy babies.
It found that mothers of babies with birth defects were more likely to report taking two types of antibiotics used to treat urinary tract infections during the first three months of pregnancy - sulfa drugs such as Bactrim and Septra, and nitrofurantoins, a urinary germicide that includes the brand names Furadantin, Macrobid, and Macrodantin.
Penicillin, the most commonly prescribed antibiotic in early pregnancy, was found to be safe, but was linked to a slightly increased risk for limb defects. Also found to be safe were cephalosporins and quinolones.
Lead author of the study, Krista Crider, a geneticist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that this was the first study to find an association with the drugs and birth defects and additional studies are need to confirm the findings.
Sulfa drugs are the oldest antibiotics and some animal studies have found harm during pregnancy. The study found this group of drugs to be associated with six birth defects, more than any other class of antibiotic. Defects linked to sulfa drugs included rare brain and heart defects and shortened limbs. Anencephaly, a fatal brain and skull malformation linked to sulfa drugs, affects about 1 in 10,000 births in the United States per March of Dimes data.
Doctors have previously viewed nitrofurantoins as safe to treat urinary tract infections during pregnancy. The four defects most commonly linked with these medications included hypoplastic left heart syndrome, atrial septal defect, eye defects, and cleft lip and palate. Cleft palate occurs in about 20 births out of 10,000 and was twice as likely to occur with women who had taken the nitrofurantoins.
It is unclear whether the birth defects were caused by the drugs or by the infections being treated. Bacterial infections themselves can cause problems for the fetus if left untreated, including preterm birth, low birth weight and blindness, so pregnant women shouldn't avoid antibiotics entirely. Instead, women should discuss antibiotics choices with their doctors.
Additional Sources Include: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the March of Dimes
Archive issues: (50)
Archive list: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 [15] 16 17
November 2, 2009 | Ground Beef Recall, Meat Sold in 8 StatesConsumers are warned that a new beef recall is in effect. Fairbank Farms issued a voluntary beef recall on Saturday, October 31, specifically for its line of fresh ground beef products sold in eight states. Thus far one person, a New Hampshire resident, has reportedly died after consuming the recalled beef, which is believed to be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. Two other individuals ...
Can Chewing Gum Really Help You Lose Weight? | November 1, 2009Chewing sugar-free gum may help you lose weight, according to a nutrition professor at the University of Rhode Island. The new study notes that chewing gum can help to reduce the number of calories you eat and increase your energy output. According to the US Mint Industry, half of all Americans chew gum, and the average American chews about 300 sticks, or ...
October 10, 2009 | Who Is To Blame For The Swine Flu Vaccine Problems?Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - One thing has become perfectly clear over the past few weeks, there is a major problem in the U.S. in regards to getting the H1N1 swine flu vaccine out to the public, but who is to ...
Related articles:
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome - physical and psychological therapy
For chronic nonbacterial prostatitis (Cat III), also known as CP/CPPS, which makes up the majority of men diagnosed with "prostatitis", a treatment called the "Wise-Anderson Protocol" (aka the "Stanford Protocol"), has recently been published. This is a combination of: Medication (using tricyclic antidepressants and ...Section: Prostatitis
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome - treatment
No treatment required. It is standard practice for men with infertility and category IV prostatitis to be given a trial of antibiotics and/or anti-inflammatories however evidence for efficacy are weak. Since signs of asymptomatic prostatic inflammation may sometimes be associated with prostate ...Section: Prostatitis
Treatment
Treatment depends on the cause. Testosterone supplements may be used for cases due to hormonal deficiency. However, the cause is more usually lack of adequate penile blood supply as a result of damage to inner walls of blood vessels. This damage is more frequent in older men, and often associated with disease, in particular diabetes. Treatments (with the exception of testosterone supplementation, where effective) work on a temporary basis: they enable an erection to be attained and ...Section: Erectile Dysfunction