Question

A pregnant woman with a urinary tract infection is treated with nitrofurantoin. Which teratogenic effect is likely to occur in the infant

Answer 1

Nitrofurantoin use in pregnancy continues to be of concern for several reasons. This antibiotic can affect glutathione reductase activity and hence can cause hemolytic anemia (analogous to the problems it causes in patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency).