Doxycycline During Pregnancy

muttpups

I was prescribed Doxycycline for a bacterial infection that showed up on my last pap culture. The doctor sent the prescription to my pharmacy yesterday, but I just received a phone call today from the doctor's office about the culture results (seems a little backwards to me). When I returned the OBGYN's phone call today, I spoke to a receptionist who answers those kinds of calls, but I was unable to actually speak to the doctor. I will be calling back tomorrow. With my first pregnancy, I took nothing more than a Claritin here and there, so I'm a little nervous to see all of the warning labels on this prescription bottle. I read on the warning paper that came with the medicine that it "has been shown to cause fetal harm". Yikes!! Anyway, what has your experience been with this prescription? I'd like to, of course, trust my doctor, but I cannot ignore the warning labels either. I'll be curious to see what the doctor says tomorrow.
TIA!

natpirt

I took this during my last pregnancy and my now 2 yr old was and is perfectly healthy. But that was after another medication did not work, wish I could remember what it was. I would ask if there is any other drug less harmful first. Good luck!

muttpups

Thanks! I'll be calling tomorrow to get some clarification on this. I also read I shouldn't take my vitamins or consume dairy while on this medication. Hopefully I'll get some more answers.

Avion22

I've taken doxy as an anti-malarial, and was told that I shouldn't take it while H and I were TTC.  

If your OB prescribed it, then it should be okay, but I would still call to double-check.   Sometimes mistakes happen and the wrong drug gets prescribed (it's rare but it happens) and it's better to be safe than sorry.  More likely your OB thought the risk of the infection is worse than the risk of taking the doxy.

Avion22

I'm pretty sure you're just not supposed to actually take the pill with dairy (like, don't wash it down with a glass of milk). I've been able to eat dairy while on it, and take vitamins.    I HAVE had lots of stomach issues on it.  In fact the last time I was prescribed it I had to switch to a different anti-malarial because my stomach was getting so torn up on the doxy.  So take it with a full stomach.   And it makes you SUPER sensitive to the sun, so be careful about that and wear sunscreen if you'll be outside for long periods.  

bossyfnp

NOOOOOOO! do not take it while you are pregnant

bossyfnp

let me me more specific: It is a class D medication:there is fetal risks

it affects teeth and bone development

Tetracyclines cross the placenta, are found in fetal tissues and can have toxic effects on the developing fetus (often related to retardation of skeletal development). Evidence of embryotoxicity has also been noted in animals treated early in pregnancy. If this drug is used during pregnancy or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus. Tetracycline drugs should not be used during pregnancy unless absolutely necessary

bossyfnp

Avion22 said:

"If your OB prescribed it, then it should be okay, but I would still call to double-check.   Sometimes mistakes happen and the wrong drug gets prescribed (it's rare but it happens) and it's better to be safe than sorry.  More likely your OB thought the risk of the infection is worse than the risk of taking the doxy."

uh no.....happened more than you would like to know...risk has to be the possible likelihood of death before that benefit takes over the life of your unborn child.

Lindsay808

I had really bad acne and was taking doxycycline before I was pregnant for my wedding. I had mentioned to the doctor that I use to take it and he said that it is NOT recommended now that I'm pregnant because it can cause tooth discoloration. He said his mother took some form of it when she was pregnant with his brother and now he has a yellow tooth. 

However, UTIs are not good when you're pregnant so your OB is probably outweighing the risk of a tooth discoloration (since it's nothing too too serious). 

muttpups

I really appreciate all of your responses. I called the Dr.'s office this morning and spoke with the nurse. She said she would ask the doctor and call me back. I did not hear back from anyone, so I called again before they closed. The nurse called me back and said that my file is en route to the doctor so she can look at it tomorrow. Ugh! I've read that if left untreated, the bacterial infection could cause a miscarriage. I am obviously discouraged because do I risk miscarriage? Obviously not! Or do I take this medication, which clearly states on the warning labels that pregnant women should not take and it has been shown to cause fetal abnormalities? No to that, too! I want to trust my doctor's opinion, but the warning labels were too much for me to ignore. I'm hoping I hear back tomorrow, or else I will be looking for a second opinion.

muttpups

Bossyfnp, I also read that it was a Class D medication, and this same doctor told me that I should absolutely not take medications within that class. I was asking about allergy medication at the time, and I remember her explaining that to me. This is frustrating.

bossyfnp

Yeah, and im not trying to get into what your culture results show....but if its BV you could be treated with another medication...Amoxil, Azithromycin, Flagyl....lots of options.

muttpups

Well, I spoke to the doctor Friday morning, and she was able to prescribe me a class B medication (Azithromycin, actually). She told me she was glad I called and questioned. I feel like I was doing her job by looking into it, but either way, I'm glad I called to clarify and see what other alternatives there were. When in doubt, call and question!

cmlrjz

The cycline family of  RX's can cause discoloration of permanant tooth enamel.  Tooth buds of adult dentition are forming in utero.