Mycobacterium avium Complex (MAC)

November 2004     View PDF     En español

Pregnancy

Pregnant women should take the same MAC preventive therapy as other adults. Animal studies suggest that clarithromycin, ethambutol or rifabutin may cause some harm to the developing child during the first three months of pregnancy. Doctors may prefer to wait until the second trimester to begin or continue preventive therapy.

Azithromycin should be the drug of choice in pregnant women. Clarithromycin should only be used if no other therapy can be taken. For maintenance therapy, azithromycin plus ethambutol are the preferred drugs.