Tetracycline Use in Pregnancy
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Tetracycline is avoided in pregnancy because it can: a. Affect the bones and teeth of the fetus b. Cause excessive vomiting in the mother c. Cause abortions d. Cause excessive postpartum hemorrhage
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Hi Kalkidan, let's solve this together. The question asks why the antibiotic tetracycline is avoided during pregnancy.
Tetracycline in Pregnancy
Let's first write down the options provided in the question so we can review them step by step.
Options:
- a. Affect the bones and teeth of the fetus
- b. Cause excessive vomiting in the mother
- c. Cause abortions
- d. Cause excessive postpartum hemorrhage
To understand why tetracycline is contraindicated, we need to review how it behaves inside the human body during pregnancy.
Pharmacokinetics of Tetracycline
- Tetracycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic.
- It easily crosses the placental barrier to enter fetal circulation.
Once inside the fetus, tetracycline binds strongly to divalent metal ions, most notably calcium.
Because of this calcium-binding behavior, the drug gets deposited in tissues that are actively undergoing calcification, such as the growing bones and teeth of the fetus.
Mechanism of Action:
This complex is deposited in newly forming bone and dental structures.
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