A new study has suggested that antibiotics may be overused in a number of neonatal intensive care units. Researchers of the study found how overused these medications were varied widely. According to reports, some neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) gave antibiotics to infants at a rate about 40 times greater than other NICUs.

Dr. Clay Jones, a pediatrician specializing in newborns at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Massachusetts, said, "The results of this study aren't surprising. We have reams of data showing that antibiotics are overused in multiple other settings. The most striking finding is the degree of variance in the use of antibiotics between facilities". Jones was not part of the study.

The study has been published online on April 20 in the journal Pediatrics. During the study, health officials of California examined medical care of over 52,000 infants in 127 NICUs across California in 2013. Antibiotic that was used in those NICUs ranged from about 2.4% of patient-days to about 97% of patient-days. The figures show the number of days out of 100 that an infant received about one antibiotic or antifungal medication. About 50% of the neonatal intensive care units used antibiotics less than 25% of patient-days, while 50% of the remaining NICUs used more patient-days.

As per the researchers, they found that a number of antibiotics are likely being used when they are not actually needed. Jones said the major reason for the variation in antibiotic rates could be that deciding to prescribe antibiotics majorly depends on a doctor's ability to decide the chance than a baby has serious infection.

In medical sector, decision has been made on risk versus benefits. In most cases where antibiotics are used in babies, doctors don't know what they are treating.