Prevalence and predictors of prescription of antibiotics in pregnant women treated by gynecologists in Germany .

AIM

The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence and potential predictors of the prescription of antibiotics in pregnant women treated by gynecologists in Germany.

METHODS

The current study included 90,312 women aged between 18 and 45 years with a full-term documented pregnancy during the index period (2005 - 2014). The primary outcome was the proportion of pregnant women with antibiotic prescriptions. Potential predictors of antibiotic prescriptions considered in the present analysis were age, index year, and gynecological/urinary disorders. Disorders included in this analysis were frequent gynecological and urinary conditions that are often treated with antibiotics. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the probability of antibiotic use depending on age, index year, and codiagnoses.

RESULTS

In this population, 14.7% of pregnant women had antibiotic prescriptions. Pregnant women in the age groups ≤ 20 and 21 - 25 years were more likely to be prescribed antibiotics than pregnant women in the age group 41 - 45 years (odds ratios equal to 1.55 and 1.27, respectively). Pregnant women analyzed in 2009 - 2011 and 2012 - 2014 received prescriptions for antibiotics more frequently compared to those analyzed in 2005 - 2008 (odds ratios equal to 1.12 and 1.08, respectively). Finally, being affected by chlamydial infection, cystitis, urinary tract infection (site not specified), genitourinary tract infections in pregnancy, acute vaginitis, and other noninflammatory disorders of the vagina was associated with a higher chance of being prescribed antibiotics.

CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 15% of pregnant women received antibiotic prescriptions. Age, index year, and gynecological/urinary disorders were all found to be associated with these prescriptions.
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