A prescription drug for yeast infections may increase chances for miscarriages when used early in pregnancy, a large study in Denmark suggests.
The 17-year study involved oral versions of fluconazole, available in pills or liquid. It doesn’t provide any proof of harm, although the drug has been linked with other problems when used in high doses in pregnancy.
The researchers looked at more than 1 million pregnancies in Denmark, comparing outcomes among women who used oral fluconazole and those who didn’t.
Women who used the drug during the first six months of pregnancy were almost 50 percent more likely than nonusers to have a miscarriage. Women at increased risk included those on a low 150-milligram dose; those on higher doses faced greater miscarriage risks.
While fewer than 10 percent of women in each group had miscarriages — they totaled 710 — the researchers said doctors should use caution in prescribing the drug early in pregnancy.
The study, by researchers at State Serum Institute in Copenhagen, was published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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