Antihistamines whilst pregnant

[tohkoraki]

Hi I wonder if anyone can shed some light on this topic?
I'm looking to have another baby but for the last year have had Hives which are easily controlled with antihistamines but play absolute havoc if not kept in check....
I went to the Dr's and he was really quite unhelpful. He said most pregnant women take Piriton which contains chlorphenamine. HOWEVER, he then went on to say that what I currently take, Cetirizine which is in Zyrtek etc, should be fine too according to his books although either have been tested on pregnant women and the risks are still unknown although there hasn't been anything negative documented either.... If anyone has had to take antihistamines whilst pregnant please help!!!!

[YummyMummy1208]

Hi, i am 34 weeks pregnant and a few weeks back got this huge rash on my belly which dr diagnosed as PUPPP - a rare and horribly itchy rash pregnant women get sometimes. They gave me antihistamines - piriton and these were absolutely fine, had no side effects and from what i know no effect on baby. Went to see a specialist skin doctor and she was fine for me to carry on taking them so im sure you will be fine to take those ones - unsure about the others though!

Hope this helps!

[pinkpeony]

I have hay fever and dust mite allergy, and my consultant prescribed Piriton, which is safe to take in pregnancy (am 20 weeks). Side effects are sleepiness (but if you take before going to bed it's great).

[tohkoraki]

Thanks very much ladies...

Just looked on the Piriton website and it's the other sort, Piriteze which contains the other chemical, Cetirizine. Think I'll stick to PIRITON seeing he did say that's what they normally recommend in pregnancy and you've confirmed it.
Best wishes in your pregnancies x

[saoirse86]

I had to get a presription for antihistamines for hayfever and was told I couldn't have loratidine but that citrizine was fine.

[NowPanicAndFreakOut]

Your GPs must all be nicer than mine!

For a week before I got BFP I sneezed non-stop (have always had bad hayfever but this was about two months later than I normally get and about a million times worse). Didn't know I was pregnant so took Loratadine (had always been great, but didn't touch it this time) and then Beconase (nasal spray) which helped.

However, I was still snotty when I saw GP and he looked thoroughly through a book of medicines' side-effects and concluded I could take "none".

According to him, not one anti-histamine has been tested on pregnant women (not many expectant mothers want to do clinical trials ) and they just do not know. He did add however, that owing to the way they are absorbed, nasal sprays are safer than pills, so if I felt I had to I should stick to Beconase. As it happens, a couple of days later the sneezing stopped naturally .

[NowPanicAndFreakOut]

PS sorry if last post sounds depressing - am sure taking Piriton (which makes me unbearably drowsy) is fine but would highly recommend getting a second opinion before going ahead as advice seems to differ.

[tohkoraki]

No worries,

according to to the Doc, he said Piriton has been around for 50 yrs + and there has never been any evidence of harm to an unborn baby. He said the mother's distress etc can outweigh the tiny risks and stress can be far more damaging!!!
Loratadine was definitley a no-no though!! Will see how I go but I might have to take a leap of faith and go with Piriton!