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Can you take antibiotics while pregnant?

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on July 22, 2025.

Official Answer by Drugs.com

While any medication should only be used during pregnancy if absolutely needed and prescribed by your doctor, there are many antibiotics that can be safely used during pregnancy.

Your doctor will decide the appropriate antibiotic based on your infection, timing in pregnancy, and other patient-specific factors.

Common antibiotics reported to have a good safety profile in pregnancy include the cephalosporins like cephalexin, penicillins like amoxicillin, certain erythromycins, azithromycin and clindamycin.

Any antibiotic should only be used during pregnancy when the benefit outweighs risk as determined by your health care provider.

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