Assessment of Antibiotic use in Pregnant Women in a Tertiary care Teaching Hospital – A Cross Sectional Observational Study

During pregnancy, most women are at risk for respiratory tract infections (RTIs), urinary tract infections (UTIs), and ear, nose, and throat infections. Antimicrobials are the most commonly given medications to treat acquired illnesses during this time. This study aimed to assess antibiotic use in pregnant women in a tertiary care teaching hospital. The present study was a cross- sectional prospective observational study and was conducted for three months in a tertiary care health centre in North Karnataka with 57 participants.All case records of pregnant women who use antibiotics admitted to Obstetrics and Gynecology department and pregnant women with more than 18 years of age were included in the study. Out of 57 participants, 40.3% of them were belonging to the age category of 19-23 years of age, followed by 33.3% in 24-28 years. Most prevalent infections which required antimicrobials prescription were UTIs (36.82%), followed by Gastroenteritis (17.54%) and Pyrexia (14.03%). Majority of the antimicrobials prescribed were from Betalactams (40.34%), followed by Nitrofuranes (29.82%). To assist in making prescribing decisions for pregnant women, health care professionals should examine the teratogenic and toxic risk profiles of antibiotics. These could be especially significant if anti-infective countermeasures are needed to safeguard the health, safety, and survival of people who have been exposed to pathogenic bacteriologic agents as a result of bioterrorism. Keywords: Antimicrobials, pregnancy, teratogenic effect, urinary tract infections