ABSTRACT
The main decision when prescribing for minor illness is to choose between a liquid and a solid tablet or capsule. Where a medication is suggested in the text for management of a minor illness, the doses given will be appropriate for that illness. Every prescriber tries to avoid prescribing in pregnancy, but sometimes the risk from medication is outweighed by a greater risk of leaving a condition untreated, such as a urinary infection. If a patient presents with a condition requiring further antibiotic treatment but has received a course of the first-line antibiotic within the last 7 days, then either the infection is viral, or the organism is resistant to the antibiotic. An observational study of 96,000 pregnant women in Canada found that women who were prescribed certain antibiotics in pregnancy had an increased rate of miscarriage. Independent prescribers can prescribe for medical conditions presenting in pregnancy, so long as they work within their own level of professional competence.
