Expectant mothers are not advised to take any medications without the supervision of a doctor, including drugs with antibacterial action. But if a woman is diagnosed with an infection, the use of an antibiotic often helps to convey a healthy baby without problems. In such situations, they try to resort to relatively safe and low-toxic medicines, one of which is Wilprafen. WHO experts admit its use during pregnancy and even call this drug one of the drugs of choice for women in a position diagnosed with chlamydia.
Features of the drug
"Vilprafen" represents a group of macrolide antibiotics and is produced in only one form - coated tablets. They are characterized by a convex oblong shape, white color, and the presence of marks on both sides. One blister is sold in one pack, containing 10 tablets. The average price of such a package is about 500 rubles (2019), a prescription drug is sold. You need to store it at home in a place protected from light at a temperature not higher than 25 degrees.
The main component of "Vilprafen" is the antibacterial substance josamycin. Its dosage is 500 mg per tablet. Additionally, the composition of the drug includes compounds that make it dense and provide long-term storage (up to 4 years from the date of release). These are talc, methylcellulose, titanium dioxide, sodium carmellose, polysorbate and some other substances.
How does it work?
Once in the intestine, josamycin begins to be actively absorbed and reaches its maximum concentration in the bloodstream an hour after taking the pill. With blood, it is transferred to almost all tissues, including it begins to be excreted with sputum, saliva and lacrimal fluid. The metabolism of the antibiotic takes place in the liver, most of the josamycin leaves the woman's body with bile.
The main therapeutic effect of the drug is in oppression of reproduction and growth of pathogens... This action (called bacteriostatic) is due to the fact that josamycin blocks ribosomes in the cells of infectious agents. This disrupts the synthesis of protein molecules, which prevents microbes from spreading throughout the body.
Wilprafen has a fairly wide spectrum of activity against harmful microbes... The drug is effective against such common gram-positive pathogens as Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium, diphtheria bacillus, Streptococcus, pneumococcus, Listeria and others.
The tablets also affect numerous gram-negative microbes, including gonococci, haemophilus influenzae, Helicobacter pylori, meningococci, bordetella and other bacteria. No less valuable is the action of "Wilprafen" on intracellular pathogens, including ureaplasma, chlamydia and mycoplasma.
Microbes are rarely insensitive to josamycin. Even if other macrolides do not work on them, Wilprafen usually copes with the infection. The activity of the tablets is reduced only against enterobacteria. However, this is more a plus than a disadvantage, since the drug does not inhibit beneficial microorganisms living in the intestines.
Features of use during pregnancy
Although doctors consider "Wilprafen" a safe medicine for expectant mothers, they try to avoid it in the early stages of its appointment, so as not to affect the laying of important organs of the baby. The fact is that the effect of tablets on the fetus in the 1st trimester has not been studied enough, because research on pregnant women has not been carried out. And although statistics show that women tolerate such a medication mostly well, giving birth to healthy babies, nevertheless, in the first trimester, treatment with such an antibiotic is permissible only in cases where it cannot be done without it.
As for the use of "Wilprafen" in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, then it is considered relatively harmless, but you cannot take pills without a doctor's prescription, especially for prevention... A doctor observing a woman while carrying a baby should take into account the indications and possible risks, as well as determine the required dosage and the duration of the course of treatment.
It is unacceptable to take the drug on your own, on the advice of friends or "just in case". Since josamycin does not affect the state of the uterus and labor in any way, it is possible to drink it as directed by a specialist until the birth itself, for example, at 37 weeks.
When is it used in pregnant women?
The most frequent indication for the appointment of "Vilprafen" to a woman in position is chlamydia. The drug effectively treats such a disease, which is dangerous both for the woman herself and for the baby developing in her womb. In the body of the expectant mother, chlamydia can provoke cervicitis, arthritis, salpingitis, urethritis, conjunctivitis and other inflammatory processes. During gestation, they can cause the threat of termination of pregnancy, placental insufficiency and premature birth. In addition, these microorganisms can penetrate the fetus in utero or infect the baby during childbirth.
In case of miscarriages, "frozen" pregnancy, polyhydramnios, insufficient weight of the child and similar problems, you should first of all be examined for chlamydia. In some pregnant women, the infection is asymptomatic and is detected only after the delivery of routine tests. In this case, the disease must also be treated immediately in order to prevent consequences dangerous for the baby. It is best to get rid of it at the planning stage, then the woman will not have to drink an antibiotic at an early date, so nothing will threaten the baby.
Chlamydia is not the only reason for the appointment of Vilprafen. Other indications for taking such pills are:
- bronchitis;
- sinusitis;
- pharyngitis;
- diphtheria;
- otitis;
- laryngitis;
- angina;
- scarlet fever;
- pneumonia;
- cystitis;
- pyelonephritis;
- lymphangitis;
- gonorrhea;
- ureaplasmosis;
- mycoplasmosis;
- syphilis;
- skin abscess;
- furunculosis;
- erysipelas;
- phlegmon;
- burn infection;
- dental infection;
- peptic ulcer caused by Helicobacter pylori.
In most of these diseases, "Wilprafen" is used if other antibiotics (penicillins, cephalosporins) are ineffective, or the woman has an intolerance. In any case, before taking any antibacterial drug, a medical examination is required, and in some cases, a determination of the sensitivity of the pathogen.
Contraindications
The tablets are prohibited for patients with hypersensitivity to any of their components, and should not be used for allergies to any macrolide antibiotics. Another contraindication to treatment with "Wilprafen" is liver disease, as a result of which the function of this organ is impaired. If a woman is already drinking any medications, this can also affect the intake of "Wilprafen", reducing its effectiveness or increasing the risk of harmful effects on the patient's body.
Such tablets should not be combined with many other antibiotics, antihistamines and other drugs noted in the annotation... If the patient is prescribed suppositories or other local medicines, their compatibility should be checked with the doctor.
Side effects
Negative symptoms while taking "Vilprafen" appear infrequently. So, the digestive tract of some women reacts to pills with abdominal discomfort, loose stools, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting and the like. In rare cases, the medicine provokes an allergic reaction, for example, Quincke's edema or dermatitis. Among the very rare side effects, patients reported jaundice, liver dysfunction and hearing impairment.
These symptoms are more likely to occur with high dosages, so it is important to follow your doctor's prescribed treatment plan precisely.
Instructions for use
The dosage of the drug for a specific pregnant woman is selected by an obstetrician-gynecologist. It can be 1-2 grams per day, less often - 3 grams. The most common scheme, according to which the medicine is drunk one tablet (500 mg) three times a day.
The diet for the time of taking "Vilprafen" does not affect in any way. If a woman forgot to take a pill on time, she should be drunk as soon as she remembered about it, but you cannot double the dosage. The duration of treatment can be from 5 days to 3 weeks. You should not interrupt the course earlier than the doctor prescribed, even if the symptoms of the disease no longer bother.
If you stop drinking Vilprafen too early, it will prevent you from completely getting rid of the infection and may provoke a relapse of the disease in the future.
Reviews
Women who had a chance to take "Wilprafen" while waiting for a child leave mostly good reviews about such an antibiotic. They note the high effectiveness of the tablets and the rare occurrence of side effects. Among the disadvantages of the drug are the large size of the tablet and the high cost. Doctors also speak about this medication mostly positively, confirming its safety for the fetus and a good effect in the treatment of urogenital infectious diseases.
"Wilprafen Solutab"
This antibiotic is analogous to "Wilprafen" in terms of the active ingredient and is produced by the same manufacturer. Its main difference, which can be determined by the name of the drug, is the possibility of dissolving the tablet in water to obtain a strawberry suspension. This is especially useful when prescribing medicine for children and people who find it difficult to swallow coated tablets.
Another important difference is the higher dosage per tablet (1000 mg)... Otherwise, this is the same medicine as the usual "Wilprafen". These drugs have the same indications, possible side effects, and dosage regimens. At the same time, a soluble antibiotic costs a little more (about 650 rubles for 10 tablets as of 2019), but in terms of milligrams, the acquisition of such an analogue turns out to be more profitable.
Analogs
If it is impossible to use "Vilprafen" for some reason, the doctor can replace it with another drug with a similar effect. The most famous and studied macrolide antibiotic is "Erythromycin", so it can be used as an alternative to josamycin. No less effective and "Azithromycin", which is also considered safe for expectant mothers. It is prescribed for both urogenital infections and bacterial infection of the respiratory tract.
