Can anthrax affect pregnancy? Should pregnant women exposed to anthrax take antibiotics?
Anthrax is a serious illness in all humans, including pregnant women. Inhalation anthrax has a high fatality rate, and cutaneous (skin) anthrax also is serious, but less frequently fatal. Because these infections are potentially fatal, it has been recommended that ciprofloxacin, or similar antibiotic drugs, be prescribed for pregnant women believed to have been exposed to anthrax. Clinical studies of the use of the ciprofloxacin in pregnant women have not been conducted, so ciprofloxacin and related drugs are not generally recommended for pregnant women with less serious illnesses.
