Antibiotic used in pregnancy linked to risk of epilepsy and cerebral palsy

Children of mothers prescribed macrolide antibiotics may be more likely to be affected by the conditions

Scientists have raised the alert about an antibiotic routinely prescribed for chest infections, after linking it to an increased risk of epilepsy and cerebral palsy in children whose mothers took the drug during pregnancy.

Children of mothers who had taken macrolide antibiotics were found to be almost twice as likely to be affected by the conditions, prompting scientists to call for a review of their use during pregnancy. The study authors urged pregnant women not to stop taking prescribed antibiotics, however. The potential adverse effects are rare and, as yet, unproven, while infections during pregnancy are a well-established cause of health problems in babies.