Which antibiotic is used as a last resort due to its potential toxicity to pregnant patients?

Gentamicin is considered a last-resort antibiotic for treating serious infections, particularly because it has the potential for significant toxicity in pregnant patients. Specifically, gentamicin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic that can lead to nephrotoxicity (kidney damage) and ototoxicity (hearing damage), which poses serious risks to both the mother and the developing fetus.

Due to these potential adverse effects, healthcare providers typically reserve gentamicin for cases where other antibiotics are ineffective or if the infection is severe and life-threatening. In pregnancy, the risk of harm to the fetus must be weighed carefully, which reinforces the idea of using gentamicin only as a last resort.

In contrast, while other options like daptomycin, erythromycin, and clindamycin may have their own risks, they have different safety profiles in pregnant patients. For example, erythromycin is generally considered safer during pregnancy and is sometimes used for treating bacterial infections in pregnant women, while clindamycin can also be used more readily when indicated. Daptomycin has limited data on its use during pregnancy and is usually avoided unless absolutely necessary. Thus, the potential toxicity associated with gentamicin makes it the preferred choice to be categorized as a last