Tinidazole and metronidazole as treatment for amoebic dysentery (Pam Tebow)

[spotbird]

Pam Tebow claims doctor's in the Philippines suggested an illegal abortion when she became pregnant shortly after a bout of amoebic dysentery. Treatment for that germ is typically with one of two drugs, metronidazole (eg Flagyl tablets) or Tinadazole (Fasigyn), and if they don't work Paromoycin or diloxanide furoate is used.


http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/travel/diseases/amoebic_dysentery.htm

Do any of these drugs cause birth defects shortly after they are discontinued? How about early in a pregnancy?

[theoldman]

1. The only person with a birth defect was the mother.

It apparently lowered her IQ.

[spotbird]

2. She is definately a liar

They should have found a true story to make their point, but I guess the right doesn't care about it.

[Igel]

3. Tinidazole.

"FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Tinidazole should not be taken during the first three months of pregnancy."

A Yahoo link. Forgot to grab it before closing the page, sorry. Snag some of the text, google it and just pick the yahoo health link.

Also found that a side-effect is neurological disorders in adults. So perhaps it messes with neurologic development. Dunno.

The problem with "pregnant shortly after" is that determining the time of conception with precision isn't always easy, and if "shortly after" is a week or two the docs might want to err on the side of safety. They may not trust her information, they may be engaging in CYA. After all, 8 1/2 months later might be a bad time to find out they were 2 weeks off.

Don't know if she's telling the truth or not; seems like a strange thing to make up, requiring more knowledge about the drug than most people here have off the top of their heads.

Or perhaps there's something about amoebic dysentery that makes pregnancy a problem. Also put that in the 'dunno' category (under the subcategory, 'don't think I much care right now')