Oral antifungal used to treat yeast infections linked to higher rates of miscarriage

A commonly used drug, fluconazole, used to treat badl yeast infections, is linked to higher rates of miscarriage if used during pregnancy, according to new research published in CMAJ (Journal of the Canadian Medical Association).

Although topical treatments are first-line for pregnant women with fungal infections, oral fluconazole is often used during pregnancy.

The researchers examined data on 441,949 pregnancies in the Quebec pregnancy cohort between 1998 and 2015, linking to the completed prescriptions listed in the Quebec Drug Insurance Database. They found that taking oral fluconazole was linked to adverse effects.

"Our study shows that taking any dose of oral fluconazole during pregnancy may be badociated with an increased risk of miscarriage," said Dr. Anick Bérard, of the Université de Montréal. in Montreal, Quebec. "Taking higher doses of fluconazole greater than 150 mg in early pregnancy may be linked to an increased risk of cardiac malformation in the newborn."

The study is compatible with other studies, although additional research is needed because the study sizes are still small.

In a related comment http: // www.cmaj.California/Search/do I/ten.1503 /cmaj.190079, Drs. Vanessa Paquette and Chelsea Elwood, women's hospital and women's health center in British Columbia, write: "The study emphasizes safe prescribing practices during pregnancy, including confirmation of the correct diagnosis and choice of patient. safest drug with the greatest amount of data during pregnancy at the lowest appropriate doses ".

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"Associations between low and high dose oral fluconazole and pregnancy outcome: 3 nested case-control studies" is published on February 19, 2019.

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