Different drugs carry different risks. Your comfort is also an important thing to consider. Allergies can be miserable, and medication can help keep allergy symptoms at bay.
This article looks at the safety and use of different allergy medications during pregnancy.
Drug Safety During Pregnancy
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not consider any drug completely safe during pregnancy. This is because of the ethical problems with testing drugs in pregnant women.
Instead, the FDA has created pregnancy registries. These are studies that help doctors understand how safe certain drugs might be. They contain information that doctors have gained while observing pregnant patients who take medications. You and your doctor can use this information to decide if a drug is right for you.
It is your doctor’s responsibility to talk to you about drug risks and benefits. This includes continuing, stopping, or starting a medication while pregnant. Every person is different, so the decision is always based on individual needs.
Drugs used to be put into categories labeled A, B, C, D, and X. For example, low-risk drugs were in category A; those proven harmful were in category X. Today, a new prescription labeling system has replaced the old one. These new labels provide more detailed information about the risks to mothers, fetuses, and breastfeeding babies.
Antihistamines
Older antihistamines like Chlor-Trimeton (chlorpheniramine maleate) are preferred for use during pregnancy. Newer ones are also an option. This includes the prescription drug Xyzal (levocetirizine) and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs like:
Claritin (loratadine) Zyrtec (cetirizine)
Medicated Nasal Sprays
Nasalcrom (cromolyn) nasal spray prevents allergy symptoms. It is used before exposure to an allergen and before the onset of symptoms. Another option during pregnancy is a nasal steroid spray like Rhinocort Aqua (budesonide).
Decongestants
During the second and third trimesters only, Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) is the preferred oral decongestant.
Immunotherapy
Allergy shots can be continued during pregnancy, though many allergists will cut the dose by 50%. Starting this treatment while pregnant isn’t recommended.
Some allergists feel you should stop allergy shots during pregnancy. This is because there is a risk of anaphylaxis, a whole-body allergic reaction that may also harm the fetus. Other than anaphylaxis, no data shows that allergy shots are harmful to a fetus.
Summary
If you are pregnant and have allergies, talk to your doctor. No drug is considered completely safe during pregnancy. There is good evidence, however, that some allergy medications are okay to use when you are pregnant.
Options include certain antihistamines, nasal sprays, and decongestants. If you are already receiving allergy shots, you should be able to continue them. Always check with your doctor before starting or stopping any medication during pregnancy.
Older antihistamines like Chlor-Trimeton (chlorpheniramine maleate) are preferred, but newer drugs like Zyrtec (cetirizine) and Claritin (loratadine) are other options. Talk to your doctor before starting or stopping any drug while you are pregnant.
