Abstract
Despite warnings at the beginning of the industrial antibiotic era 70 years ago, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become an increasingly intractable health issue. For common bacterial infections, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), sepsis, and sexually transmitted infections, high rates of antibiotic resistance have been observed globally for the commonly used antibiotics used to treat these infections. This observation indicates that we are facing a shortage of effective antibiotics. This global problem has a significant impact on pregnant women, necessitating urgent multi-sectoral action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on perinatal health. The current chapter focuses on shedding light on the commonly prescribed antibiotics for treating UTI during pregnancy. This chapter also addresses the overview of UTI management and principles of antibiotic regimen selections (effectiveness). Furthermore, it also pointed to the safety concern for selected antibiotics or class of antibiotics primarily used for treatment of UTI. Finally, it provides the details of current tsunami of AR specifically among pregnant women diagnosed with UTI in different settings and countries. In general, without the effective and cautious use of antibiotics, the progress made by the United Nations in reducing maternal and child mortality and morbidity by treating infections during pregnancy, such as UTI, would be at a heightened risk.