Bibliographic information
GuidelineWHO recommendations on interventions to improve preterm birth outcomes
Year of Publication2015
Issuing InstitutionWorld Health Organization
Recommendation
Maintained
Originally developed
The use of a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid (“co-amoxiclav”) is not recommended for women with preterm prelabour rupture of membranes.
Recommended against
Strong
Certainty of evidence
Moderate
Notes and Remarks
- 1.This recommendation was based on the increased risk of NEC with co-amoxiclav when compared with placebo and with erythromycin.
- 2.Where organisms are sensitive to other antibiotics, it would seem sensible to avoid using co-amoxiclav during pregnancy.
- 3.Penicillins (excluding amoxiclav) were used in the pooled trials that showed benefits of antibiotics in this context. Therefore, where erythromycin is not available, penicillin (such as amoxicillin) can be used.
Also Featured In
This recommendation also appears in the following guidelines:
Guideline
WHO recommendations on maternal health: guidelines approved by the WHO Guidelines Review Committee, second edition. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025
Year2023
InstitutionWorld Health Organization