"Metronidazole" is one of the effective antiprotozoal and antimicrobial agents, but its use during pregnancy has some limitations. Even if a doctor prescribed such a medicine for a pregnant woman, you should study the instructions for use in detail, and also find out what the consequences of taking suppositories and tablets are in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters.
Features of the drug
Metronidazole is produced by a large number of pharmaceutical companies, and there are quite a few dosage forms for such a drug.
In pharmacies, you can find tablets, injection solution, vaginal suppositories, gel for external use and vaginal gel.
The action of all these variants of the drug is due to the active substance of the same name - metronidazole. Its dosage in 1 tablet and 1 suppository is 250 mg, in 1 ml of injection solution - 5 mg, and in 1 g of gel - 10 mg.
Operating principle
"Metronidazole" is active against protozoa and bacteria, inhibiting the formation of nucleic acids, which leads to the death of the pathogen. The drug is used for infection with Trichomonas, lamblia, bacteroids, gardnerella, dysentery amoeba, fusobacteria, peptococci and some other microorganisms, the full list of which can be seen in the annotation.
Is it allowed during pregnancy?
According to the classification of drugs by their effect on the fetus, "Metronidazole" belongs to group B. Drugs in this group are considered poorly studied, therefore, their use in pregnant women is limited. The first trimester is the most important period in the development of the fetus, therefore, treatment with Metronidazole is prohibited in the early stages. In the 1st trimester the medication can be dangerous.
As for the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, then during these periods the use of "Metronidazole" is possible in rare cases, when there is a real need for such a medicine.
For example, if an infection in the absence of treatment begins to pose a danger to the fetus, the doctor will decide that prescribing Metronidazole will be better than risking the health of the baby.
Since the active substance of the drug is able to pass through the placenta, then use in the second or third trimesters is due only to serious reasons... In this case, the release form and dosage are selected for each expectant mother individually, and if any undesirable phenomena occur, the therapy regimen is revised.
When is it prescribed for expectant mothers?
During pregnancy, infectious and inflammatory diseases in the genital area are not uncommon. They arise as a result of changes in the functioning of the immune system during the period of bearing a child. "Metronidazole" is used in the treatment of just such diseases, including vaginitis, urethritis and bacterial vaginosis.
The medication is also prescribed to patients with amoebic dysentery, giardiasis and other infections caused by microorganisms sensitive to metronidazole. Local forms of the drug are in demand for trophic ulcers and long-term non-healing wounds. Together with antibiotics, "Metronidazole" is also often used after cleansing a frozen pregnancy.
Contraindications
The use of "Metronidazole" is prohibited in case of intolerance to any of the drug components, blood diseases and organic lesions of the central nervous system. They also try not to prescribe the drug to patients whose liver function is impaired, or is used under strict control.
Side effects
In women who used "Metronidazole" during pregnancy as prescribed by the doctor, there were negative symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract (vomiting, poor appetite, nausea, metallic taste) and nervous system (irritability, dizziness, bad mood, poor sleep, headache and others).
In addition, sometimes the drug causes itching, hives, or skin rashes.
Negative impact it is also possible on the kidneys and on the liver, which is manifested by changes in feces or urine. When used topically, the medication can provoke irritation. If such or any other side effects occur, you should consult your doctor.
Instructions for use
Features of the use of "Metronidazole" depend on the form of the drug assigned to the expectant mother. A single and daily dose of the drug, as noted above, is selected for each patient separately, taking into account the clinical picture and other factors. If the drug is prescribed for inflammation of the genital organs, at the same time "Metronidazole" is prescribed for the woman's sexual partner, even if he does not have any symptoms.
- Tableted "Metronidazole" swallowed after meals with water. The daily dose of this form is usually divided into 3-4 doses.
- If using injectionsthen the medicine is administered intravenously. Injection use is often in demand in a hospital.
- Gel for external use applied to the affected areas twice a day.
- Suppositories released from packaging and placed deep into the vagina.
- If a doctor has prescribed topical treatment vaginal gel, it is injected using an applicator that is sold with a tube of medication. Inside the vagina, the medicine can be injected only at night or twice a day, depending on the dosage and form used.
The duration of treatment with any of the drug options is set by the doctor for each pregnant woman individually.
Reviews
Women who took "Metronidazole" during pregnancy according to indications confirm that the medicine is effective for vaginosis and other diseases of the genital organs. They did not notice a negative effect on the fetus, but often complained of side effects from the digestive and nervous systems, for example, nausea, ringing in the ears and impaired appetite.
Such symptoms most often appeared if a woman was prescribed to take pills. However, after the termination of the course of treatment, all negative phenomena quickly disappeared without a trace.
As for local and intravaginal forms, then most expectant mothers tolerated them well without any problems.
Analogs
Metronidazole has many analogues containing the same active ingredient, for example, Trichopolum, Klion, Flagil or Metrogyl... Such drugs are produced in the form of a solution for intravenous injections, vaginal gel, tablets, gel for external use, vaginal tablets and suppositories, so it is not difficult to choose a suitable replacement, but this must be done by a doctor (you cannot use any of these drugs instead of Metronidazole on your own) ... In addition, all of them are strictly prohibited in the 1st trimester, and at a later date they are appointed only in serious situations when they cannot be dispensed with.
For the use of the antibiotic Metronidazole, see below.
