title: Association between antibiotic prescribing in pregnancy and cerebral palsy or epilepsy in children born at term: a cohort study using the health improvement network.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Between 19%-44% pregnant women are prescribed antibiotics during pregnancy. A single, large randomised-controlled-trial (ORACLE Childhood Study II) found an increased risk of childhood cerebral palsy and possibly epilepsy following prophylactic antibiotic use in pregnant women with spontaneous preterm labour. We ascertained whether this outcome could be reproduced across the population of babies delivered at term and prospectively followed in primary-care using data from The Health Improvement Network.
  
  
  METHODS
  We determined the risk of cerebral palsy or epilepsy in children whose mothers were prescribed antibiotics during pregnancy using a cohort of 195,909 women linked to their live, term-born, singleton children. We compared the effect of antibiotic class, number of courses and timing of prescribing in pregnancy. Analyses were adjusted for maternal risk factors (e.g. recorded infection, age, chronic conditions, social deprivation, smoking status). Children were followed until age seven years or cessation of registration with the primary-care practitioner.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 64,623 (33.0%) women were prescribed antibiotics in pregnancy and 1,170 (0.60%) children had records indicating cerebral palsy or epilepsy. Adjusted analyses showed no association between prescribing of any antibiotic and cerebral palsy or epilepsy (adj.HR 1.04, 95%CI 0.91-1.19). However, compared with penicillins, macrolides were associated with an increased risk of cerebral palsy or epilepsy (adj.HR 1.78, 95%CI 1.18-2.69; number needed to harm 153, 95%CI 71-671).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found no overall association between antibiotic prescribing in pregnancy and cerebral palsy and/or epilepsy in childhood. However, our finding of an increased risk of cerebral palsy or epilepsy associated with macrolide prescribing in pregnancy adds to evidence that macrolide use is associated with serious harm.
authors: UCL Institute of Child Health, Population Policy and Practice Programme, London, United Kingdom; UCL Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Wilhelmine Hadler
authors: WH
authors: Meeraus
authors: UCL Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Irene
authors: I
authors: Petersen
authors: UCL Institute of Child Health, Population Policy and Practice Programme, London, United Kingdom; Farr Institute of Health Informatics Research, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Gilbert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000209:etiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D018942:Macrolides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D010406:Penicillins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D018942:Macrolides; D010406:Penicillins