The safety of metronidazole in pregnancy

Abstract

Medication use during pregnancy carries risks of teratogenicity, preterm birth, and spontaneous abortion. CDC's guidelines advocate for the use of metronidazole for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in pregnant women. A literature review assessing the safety of metronidazole during pregnancy was conducted. Metronidazole was found to be effective in preventing preterm births when used in conjunction with other antibiotics. Its use did not predict birth defects or congenital abnormalities. It was however associated with a 70% increased risk of spontaneous abortion. This risk should be interpreted cautiously in light of the confounder which is the severity of genitourinary infection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).