Outpatient Antibiotic Prescriptions in Pregnant Women in Małopolska Province

Background: excessive and incorrect use of antibiotics is a common event that contributes to increased bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Based on the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption (ESAC)-Net reports, outpatient antibiotics prescribing in Poland, is higher than the European average rate. However, ECDC reports do not provide data on consumption in specific patient groups. Additional studies focused on selected patient groups are needed for a more detailed analysis. The use of antibiotics during pregnancy is inevitable due to the proven risk of complications in this period, perinatal infections, and infections in newborns, in the situation of frequent infections of the genital tract, urinary tract, and asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women. The aim of this study was to analyze the use of antibiotics/the implementation of antibiotic prescriptions ordered by gynecologists during pregnancy in pregnant women in Małopolska Voivodeship, with particular emphasis on demographic data and drug groups. Material and methods: the analysis used data on the reimbursement of antibiotics from the Małopolska Health Fund for 2013–2014. The database contained information of a demographic nature: age, place of residence, date of birth, as well as information on the type of drug, and the number of packages purchased by the patients. Results: the study included 67,917 women. During pregnancy, 23.6% filled their prescriptions for antibiotics. In the first trimester, the percentage of women filling their prescriptions for antibiotics was the lowest and amounted to 7.8%, in the second and third trimesters, these were 9.0% and 11.2%, respectively. The inhabitants of rural areas bought antibiotics more often (23.5%). Most frequently, antibiotics were purchased by women under 18 years of age (32.1%), but the use of antibiotics in women aged 18–34 and over 35 was similar, amounting to 23.8% and 22.7%, respectively. Most often (94.78% of cases) monotherapy was used, including beta-lactams and beta-lactams with an inhibitor (67.3%), then second-generation cephalosporins (13.5%), macrolides (14.73%), and others. Prescription of two different preparations was found in 5.06% of cases, three (0.19%), and four or more (0.03%). Conclusions: due to the fact that studies on antibiotic therapy in pregnant women in Poland are rare, it is impossible to assess the situation thoroughly. Additionally, in Poland, the prevalence of gestational infections is unknown, and their diagnostics is important, especially in relation to microbiological diagnostics and targeted treatment. However, the present results indicate the need to implement broad health promotion programs, accessible to all women, also those living outside large cities, particularly promoting the prevention of urinary tract infections and reproductive health in general.