Should women undergoing medical abortion be getting antibiotics to prevent fatal infections?
At this time FDA does not have sufficient information to recommend the use of preventive antibiotics for all women undergoing medical abortion. Reports of fatal sepsis in women undergoing medical abortion are very rare (1 in 100,000). Preventive antibiotic use carries its own risk of serious adverse events such as severe or fatal allergic reactions. Also, preventive use of antibiotics can stimulate the growth of “superbugs,” bacteria resistant to everyday antibiotics. While FDA cannot recommend preventive antibiotics, we advise physicians to be vigilant so that patients suspected of having an infection are immediately given antibiotics that would kill bacteria such as Clostridium sordelli. 8. Why are these fatal infections being reported from only one state, California? • Serious infections, sepsis, and death associated with medical abortion may occur anywhere. All providers of medical abortion and all medical abortion patients must be aware of the risks of sepsis. • FDA is aware of an
