The woman’s body undergoes tremendous changes during pregnancy: all its functions and systems work to bear the fetus. Because of this, of course, a woman weakens, her immunity deteriorates, and she becomes more susceptible to attacks of viruses and bacteria. During this period, a woman can very easily catch a cold or catch an infection.
In no case should one approach the selection of medicines during pregnancy superficially. Even a common cold in the most important period of a woman's life should be treated by a therapist or gynecologist. But it often happens that neither raspberry tea nor harmless non-aggressive medicines cope with the disease, and the patient has to take medications that can only be taken if the risks to the fetus and the benefit to the mother are properly arranged. In some cases, it is impossible to overcome the infection without taking antibiotics. Then you need to choose the right drug that has the least harm to the fetus.
Sumamed: all or nothing
One of the strongest antibiotics that can be used during pregnancy is Sumamed. The active substance of this drug - azithromycin - belongs to the class of semi-synthetic macrolides of category "B". Experimental data on the analysis of class “B” drugs did not reveal an adverse effect on the fetus in animals, but no in-depth studies were performed in pregnant women.
The results of studies of azithromycin showed that it can only penetrate the placental barrier in small quantities and, according to statistics, does not increase the percentage birth rate of children with developmental abnormalities.
However, in the first trimester of pregnancy, the fetus is still poorly protected. At this time, the fundamental functions and organs of the unborn baby are formed. During this period, it is undesirable to take any medications in general, not to mention Sumamed in the early stages of pregnancy. Its use in the first 12 weeks is extremely dangerous for the fetus.
But in some cases, refusal to take Sumamed during pregnancy cannot but entail consequences for the mother’s health or even her life. For example, pyelonephritis, if not treated properly, can seriously impair kidney and liver function. In this case, you must be prepared for total risk: the pregnancy will either end completely or continue to progress to the end without any consequences.
Starting from the 2nd trimester, Sumamed can be used more calmly during pregnancy, it will not have a pathological effect on the fetus.
Dosing azithromycin
When ingested, azithromycin exhibits bactericidal properties, inhibiting the development of malignant cells. Once inside the human immune cells, the drug accumulates in them to the amount necessary to combat pathogens. "Sumamed" begins to exhibit therapeutic properties after 1-3 days from the start of its administration.
This is the main plus of azithromycin over other drugs: instead of difficult treatment courses of 7-10 days, Sumamed, you need to take only 3 days, 1 tablet or capsule one hour before meals or two hours after.
With this method, the drug is rapidly absorbed by the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, enters the systemic circulation of the body and then to the lesion, destroying bacterial microorganisms.
Reception "Sumamed" is possible in several variations: tablets, capsules, suspension.
Indications for the use of "Sumamed" during pregnancy
Given that Sumamed is the strongest broad-spectrum antibiotic, it can be used to treat the following diseases:
- upper respiratory tract infections (pharyngitis, tonsillitis, otitis media);
- lower respiratory tract infections (acute and chronic bronchitis, pneumonia);
- urinary tract infections;
- erythema migrans.
Sumamed inhibits bacteria such as streptococci, gardnerella, staphylococci, Helicobacter pylori and Haemophilus influenzae, stopping their growth and reproduction.
Contraindications
Any antibiotics are aggressive. Their use should be approached very seriously, taking into account the pros and cons. So, there are several significant contraindications to taking azithromycin during pregnancy:
- The period of the first trimester (taking "Sumamed" during pregnancy in the early stages threatens spontaneous miscarriage).
- Impaired liver and kidney function.
- Hypersensitivity to azithromycin and macrolides.
Side effects when taking "Sumamed"
Like all antibiotics, azithromycin negatively affects the intestinal microflora. In view of this, the use of Sumamed during pregnancy is extremely important to combine with drugs that support the digestive system.
From the gastrointestinal tract, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloating or constipation may occur. It is important to remember that when such symptoms appear, it is necessary to strictly observe the drinking regimen in order to avoid dehydration of the body. It is advisable to take saline solutions (the basis for them can be bought at a pharmacy or prepared on their own).
Weakening the immune system even more than before the disease, the use of Sumamed during pregnancy also activates fungal bacteria: a woman may develop candidiasis of both the vaginal mucous membranes and the oral cavity. Treatment of thrush, acting only to eliminate its symptoms, may be delayed, so it is also necessary to strengthen the immune system in ways possible during pregnancy.
Other side effects include allergic reactions, such as skin rashes, or Quincke's edema from the endocrine system, as well as dizziness, pain, and insomnia from the nervous side.
Analogs of "Sumamed"
"Sumamed" is a broad-spectrum drug that is part of the azrolide macrolide group. Its cost is an order of magnitude higher than that of other antibiotics with azithromycin as the active substance in the same drug group.
Cheaper analogues of Sumamed include the following medications:
- "Azithromycin" - available in the form of capsules of 250 mg.
- "Azitral" - is available in the form of capsules of 250 and 500 mg.
Reviews
In those who used Sumamed during pregnancy, the reviews are fundamentally different from each other: some believe that this is a first-class drug that can overcome the disease in a couple of days, while others were afraid to take it because of the lack of adequate data on its effect on the body of both the mother and baby in her womb.
And in that, and in another case, opinions agree on one thing: taking the drug allows you to feel better many times in the first day. But at the same time, the side effects of “Sumamed” may haunt for some more time.
The statistics show that taking azithromycin during pregnancy does not lead to the birth of children with pathologies even when they are treated in the first weeks of pregnancy, provided that it was possible to maintain the pregnancy at such an early stage.