Should women undergoing medical abortion be using antibiotics to prevent fatal infections?
The FDA does not have sufficient information at this time to recommend the use of preventive antibiotics for women undergoing medical abortion. 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 bacteria resistant to everyday antibiotics. While the FDA cannot officially recommend preventive antibiotics to women undergoing medical abortion, it does advise physicians to administer antibiotics to patients suspected of having an infection in order to intercept and kill bacteria such as Clostridium sordelli, if it is at all present.
