Hayfever when pregnant

[WhatIsntInAName]

Hi everyone,

Approx 6 weeks pregnant. I get horrific hayfever every year, usually prescribed stronger antihistamines by my GP. Hayfever has well and truly started, called my GP to ask if I can take them when pregnant and they said no 😭.

They suggested I try piriton as thats the 'safest', so off I went to the pharmacy to get some. However the pharmacist said I definitely shouldn't be taking it in pregnancy and that no antihistamine is safe so I should 'tough it out' for my baby. Some googling suggests no evidence it's harmful, but also not enough studies to prove its safe.

I don't know what to do! My hayfever is really bad, coughing, sneezing, wheezing, eyes watering, headaches, skin rashes, asthma attacks. I've also been told I can't use my usual topical treatments etc to relieve my symptoms. I don't want to suffer unnecessarily because it's hell and surely my symptoms aren't great for baby either, but obviously I don't want to hurt my baby and I'm getting conflicting advice 😭😭😭.

Oh what a nightmare! Hay fever is just miserable.

NHS advice is that you can take loratadine or cetirizine when pregnant, which I've always done - I've found loratadine more effective, but I know if your hay fever is really severe it might not touch the sides. My midwife also said lots of the nasal sprays are OK, so it could be worth trying those too?

I think some of the advice they give is often incorrect too - in my last pregnancy I had the most hideous allergic reaction, I was scratching my skin until I drew blood, and the GP said I couldn't take loratadine. I suffered for weeks before finally googling the NHS advice which said fine in pregnancy!

Hi OP - I have horrific year round rhinitis and pregnancy has worsened symptoms significantly. Cetirizine and Loratadine are absolutely fine in pregnancy and I have zero idea why the pharmacist would say otherwise (my husband’s a pharmacist, dad’s a GP, mum’s and obgyn and all 3 have no concerns or issues re: taking antihistamines). Currently 26 weeks and I have taken cetirizine daily and none of midwives, GP’s and consultants have all been totally unbothered about it! Maybe speak to a different pharmacist and make clear your GP said you can take them?

Thank you both! I spoke to another GP who also said to try not to take anything for first trimester but then could try loratidine? I said the other GP recommended the piriton and they said I could also do that, and I mentioned the pharmacist and said they're not wrong either in that none are fully proven to be safe so I have to decide if its worth the risk!

The confusion about medication in pregnancy is frustrating. I had a stupidly itchy rash around 32 weeks pregnant -midwife and GP both said Piriton was safe and l took it. I know hayfever can be horrendous -it’s too easy for someone who has never had it to say “tough it out”.

Loratidine is supposed to be 1st choice in pregnancy and then cetirizine is ok. Piriton is a sedating anti histamine so can make you drowsy. You can buy loratidine in the supermarket so you don't need to buy from a pharmacy.

Corticosteroid nasal sprays are ok too.