Pregnancy Breastfeeding And Fertility While Taking Clarithromycin

Clarithromycin and pregnancy

Clarithromycin can be taken while you're pregnant, but other antibiotics may be more suitable. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Find out more about how clarithromycin can affect you and your baby during pregnancy on the Bumps (Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy) website

Clarithromycin and breastfeeding

If your baby is healthy, you can take clarithromycin while breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.

Clarithromycin passes into breast milk in very small amounts and is unlikely to cause side effects in your baby.

It's important to treat an infection if you're breastfeeding as it could get worse if left untreated.

It's very rare for breastfed babies to have side effects from medicines you're taking. But it's important to keep monitoring your baby if you're taking any medicine while breastfeeding.

Contact your healthcare professional or call 111 as soon as possible if you notice that your baby:

is not feeding as well as usual or putting on weight as expected
has an upset stomach such as diarrhoea or being sick (vomiting)
has a rash
has oral thrush (a fungal infection in their mouth)
has changes in their usual sleeping pattern or seems irritable
seems sweaty

If your baby has any symptoms that are not listed, or if you're worried about them, you can also call 111 or contact any healthcare professional.

Clarithromycin and fertility

There's no evidence that taking clarithromycin affects fertility in either men or women.

Tell your doctor if you're:

trying to get pregnant
pregnant
breastfeeding

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