Antiinfectious chemotherapy in pregnancy.

Antibiotic therapy during pregnancy is generally given to treat infectious diseases of the mother rather than of the fetus. Despite her altered physiology the pregnant woman poses few specific pharmacokinetic problems. The main concern is possible damage to the fetus, depending on its developmental stage at the time of administering the drug. Largely on an empirical basis, antibiotics which can be administered without hazard throughout pregnancy are distinguished from those which should be completely avoided during pregnancy and from others which must be omitted during certain phases of pregnancy. Similar considerations apply in the case of drugs used for the treatment of tuberculosis and mycoses.