Chlamydia is among the most common of sexually transmitted infections, and there are several types of antibiotic medications available to treat it. The two most popular chlamydia medications are doxycycline and azithromycin, antibiotics that are considered the most effective. Ofloxacin and levofloxacin also are usually successful at eliminating the infection, but they are often more expensive than the top two medications. Pregnant patients usually have to use other options when it comes to chlamydia medication, because one of the most popular treatments, doxycycline, is not considered safe during pregnancy. Thus, pregnant women are more likely to be prescribed erythromycin or amoxicillin.
Doxycycline has long been the preferred chlamydia medication because it has proved to be the most successful at eradicating the disease, according to studies. It is often the least expensive chlamydia medication available, but one of its downsides is that it needs to be taken two times a day for seven days. It is not given to pregnant or breastfeeding patients, because it is not considered safe for unborn babies and infants. Instead, such patients may be offered azithromycin, which is the next most popular drug for chlamydia. Its main benefit is that patients only need to take one dose to fight off the infection, but the downside is that they must wait a week to have intercourse after taking this drug.
Ofloxacin is another type of chlamydia medicine, and while it is considered as effective as doxycycline and azithromycin, it is usually more expensive. This is the main reason it is not given out frequently by doctors. Like doxycycline, ofloxacin needs to be taken twice a day for a week and cannot be taken by pregnant or breastfeeding women. Levofloxacin is a similar drug that is sometimes substituted for other chlamydia medications, but it is usually just as expensive as ofloxacin.
Azithromycin is just one of the types of chlamydia medication considered safe for use during pregnancy, but there are cheaper options. Doctors may also prescribe the less expensive amoxicillin, though this type of penicillin is rarely given to patients who are not pregnant because it is not as effective as other chlamydia medications. Another option that is cheap and typically effective in pregnant women is erythromycin. It is considered one of the least popular types of chlamydia medication because it needs to be taken four times a day for seven days. Its tendency to cause gastrointestinal problems also adds to its lack of popularity among pregnant patients and doctors.
