“Are antihistamines safe for consumption during pregnancy?”
I am 5 weeks pregnant and I'm already studying the do's and don’t's of pregnancy. I have a more severe reaction to dust than the average person so I usually take antihistamines to help it subside. Could this be consumed during pregnancy? If not, what are the alternatives?
4 Answers
First and foremost - congratulations! Wish you all the best and an easy pregnancy. I am happy to alleviate your concerns. While we all want to use as few medications as possible while pregnant, I would like to reassure you that all antihistamines over-the-counter are considered safe in pregnant females. Claritin, Allegra, Zyrtec, and Xyzal along with Benadryl are all pregnancy category B. That means that you do not have to suffer with your dust allergies.
Hope that helps, and again, congratulations and all the best.
Sincerely,
Monika Korff, MD
Hope that helps, and again, congratulations and all the best.
Sincerely,
Monika Korff, MD
Hi, your question is an excellent one. If possible, I try to avoid prescribing medications during pregnancy because of the potential effect.
Different antihistamines have different safety ratings for pregnancy. Allegra is not to be used. Zyrtec and Claritin have been given a Category B for use in pregnancy. Zyrtec has been used safely. You should always ask your Obstetrician what he is comfortable with you using. The first trimester (12 weeks) is most important for avoiding drugs if possible.
You can take cetirizine (Zyrtec) and loratadine (Claritin) and also Benadryl and Chlorpheniramine. Keep in mind that Benadryl and Chlorpheniramine are more likely to make you drowsy.
