Is It Safe To Skip Allergy Medication When Pregnant
As the saying goes, prevention is the best medicine. So, the best way is to stay away from the cause of them and take preventive measures. Of course, you cant control certain allergies such as pollen allergies. However, you can reduce its impact by wearing a mask. In other cases, you can take preventive measures to make your home allergy-proof.
It is always better to consult with your doctor. Depending on the severity of your symptoms your doctor will prescribe the medication you should take. If your symptoms are light, then your doctor may recommend alternative treatments.
Treating For Two: Safer Medication Use In Pregnancy
In collaboration with federal and external partners, CDCs Treating for Two initiative is a national strategy to improve the health of mothers and babies through better research, reliable guidance, and informed decisions related to medication treatment in pregnancy.
- Research: CDC funds the Centers for Birth Defects Research and Prevention, which collaborate on large studies such as the National Birth Defects Prevention Study and the Birth Defects Study To Evaluate Pregnancy exposures . Researchers engaging in these studies work to identify factors that increase the risk for birth defects and to answer questions about the effects of some medications taken during pregnancy.
- Technical expertise: CDC works with staff from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other professionals to help conduct studies on the effects of medication use during pregnancy and ways to prevent harmful effects.
- Collaboration: As part of the Treating for Two: Safer Medication Use in Pregnancy Initiative pdf icon, CDC is committed to working with its partners, other federal agencies, and the public to build a comprehensive approach to improve the quality of data on medication use during pregnancy, translate this information into safe and effective health care for pregnant women, and make this information easily accessible to women and their healthcare providers.
Safe Otc Allergy Meds To Take During Pregnancy
These over-the-counter allergy meds have no known harmful effects during pregnancy when you take them according to the package directions.
Note: Do not take the ‘D’ forms of these medications in your first trimester.
Check with your doctor before taking any medicines during your pregnancy. Be especially cautious in the first trimester, a crucial time for your baby’s development.
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Can Allergy Medications Safely Be Used During Pregnancy
Antihistamines may be useful during pregnancy to treat the nasal and eye symptoms of seasonal or perennial allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, the itching of urticaria or eczema, and as an adjunct to the treatment of serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis . With the exception of life-threatening anaphylaxis, the benefits from their use must be weighed against any risk to the fetus. Because symptoms may be of such severity to affect maternal eating, sleeping or emotional well-being, and because uncontrolled rhinitis may pre-dispose to sinusitis or may worsen asthma, antihistamines may provide definite benefit during pregnancy.
Chlorpheniramine , and diphenhydramine have been used for many years during pregnancy with reassuring animal studies. Generally, chlorpheniramine would be the preferred choice, but a major drawback of these medications is drowsiness and performance impairment in some patients.. Two of the newer less sedating antihistamines loratadine , and cetirizine have reassuring animal and human study data and are currently recommended when indicated for use during pregnancy.
When women with asthma and allergies get pregnant, one-third find their asthma and allergies improved, one-third find they worsen and one-third remain unchanged.
Allergist James Sublett, MD
Allergy Medications While Pregnant
When it comes to taking allergy medications while pregnant, its right for a woman to be concerned about the baby. Women need to be very cautious about using any drugs during pregnancy and if at all possible, to avoid them completely in the first trimester. Most importantly, before taking any allergy drugs at any point during pregnancy, talk to your doctor.
Use of oral decongestants is associated with increased risk of birth defects. Some oral antihistamines, like Allegra , Benadryl , Chlor-Trimeton , Claritin , and Zyrtec appear to be safe after the first trimester, safe meaning they have caused no known harm in studies that have been done. Avoid antihistamines combined with a decongestant.
Nasal sprays, as prescribed or recommended by a doctor, are applied only in the nose. That means their effects do not go throughout the body like oral medications. However, avoid nasal spray decongestants. There is not enough evidence to indicate whether or not they are safe.
Dont start allergy shots during pregnancy. If women are already taking them when they become pregnant, they can continue.
The reality is, not taking any allergy medication is the best option. But for women whose allergy symptoms are leaving them sleepless and unable to function, taking medication with a doctors approval may be better for both them and the baby. Its important for women with allergic asthma to use their prescribed medication. Uncontrolled asthma can cause serious problems during pregnancy.
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Alternatives To Allergy Medication
You might also find the following tools helpful to avoiding taking allergy medication while pregnant
-limiting exposure to triggers to your allergies
-using an over the counter nasal saline spray to flush allergens
-using a nasal irrigation system like a Neti-Pot
-getting physically active, which can reduce inflammation
-using nasal strips for sleep, as well as elevating pillows
With many safe options for medications over the counter, prescriptions and remedies, you dont have to suffer from your seasonal allergies while pregnant! Subscribe to our newsletter for a free handy guide for medication usage for allergies to reference.
How To Relieve Allergy Symptoms Naturally
Whether your allergy symptoms are mild or severe, it is best to try relieving them naturally in addition to your prescribed medication. Below are a few alternatives allergy remedies during pregnancy:
- Saline spray: Saline spray, commonly known as saltwater, can relieve your nasal congestion without causing any mess or harm.
- Limit your outdoor activities: If pollen or other outdoor allergens are the culprits behind your allergy, then it would be a smart choice to limit your outdoor activities.
- Move your body: Exercise or yoga can be your best to relieve your nasal congestion. Consult with your obstetrician about the exercises you can perform in addition to the allergy pills while pregnant.
Ideally, you should say no to unnecessary medications, especially, when you are pregnant. Taking precautions and following preventive measures is always recommended. But if your allergy symptoms are unbearable and making you uncomfortable, then you might have to rely on some medication. When taken under proper medical guidance, antiallergics are safe during pregnancy. More importantly, consult with your doctor before going for any medication.
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Is It Safe To Take Allergy Medications
In the vast majority of cases, the answer is yes. Its safe to continue taking your allergy medications the same way you were before you got pregnant. Its always wise to check with your doctor about medication use, and rarely is it necessary to discontinue allergy medications.
Antihistamines may be useful to treat nasal and eye symptoms caused by various allergies. As always, talk with your doctor or allergist to help you weigh the benefits against any possible risk to your baby. To ease your allergy symptoms, consider these options:
- Chlorpheniramine and diphenhydramine have been around for years and used safely during pregnancy. Most doctors recommend chlorpheniramine, but keep in mind that both medications can make you sleepy or affect your ability to function. Recent popular choices that are less sedating are the antihistamines loratadine and cetirizine .
- Pseudophedrine may result a slight increase in abdominal wall defects in newborns, and is best avoided during pregnancy.
- Corticosteroid nasal sprays are an effective option if your runny nose and congestion are really bothering you and last for more than a few days. But youll want to talk it over with your doctor first as there arent many studies on their use during pregnancy.
Is It Safer To Skip Allergy Medication Altogether When I’m Pregnant
If your symptoms aren’t bad, your doctor may suggest other treatments instead. You could allergy-proof your home or rely on saline nasal sprays.
But if allergy symptoms are a big problem — making it hard to sleep, for instance — taking medication may be better for your health and your baby’s.
If you have allergic asthma, you need to take the medication as prescribed. Uncontrolled asthma can cause serious problems during pregnancy.
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Does Allergy Affect Pregnancy
For allergy sufferers, the good news is that whether your seasonal allergy symptoms are mild or severe during pregnancy, the actual symptoms themselves likely wont affect your baby, says OB/Gyn Salena Zanotti, MD. But you may need to change up how youd normally treat those symptoms to limit any risks to your child.
Lifestyle Steps That Make A Difference
Since avoiding exposure to allergens is always better than trying to treat the symptoms they cause, follow these tips as much as possible:
Reduce exposure to allergens outdoors
When the pollen count is high, limit your time outdoors, especially on windy days. If youre used to exercising outdoors, try classes at a gym or follow one on your computer. Being outdoors in the afternoon is often less of a problem than in the morning, when pollen counts are higher. Wearing sunglasses can protect your eyes and a pollen mask can shield your nose and mouth.
Reduce exposure to allergens indoors
Keep pollen out by keeping windows closed. Use air conditioning, not a window fan that draws pollen inside.
Clean in a way that traps and removes allergens. A vacuum with a HEPA filter will capture very tiny particles. Damp dusting and damp mopping traps dust rather than spreading it around.
Encase pillows and mattresses in zippered cases to protect them from dust mites and other allergens. Wash the coverings in hot water 130 degrees or higher every week, along with sheets and pillowcases. Never hang linens and clothes outside to dry, where they could be a magnet for pollen traveling in a breeze.
If pet dander is a problem, be sure to keep your pets out of the bedroom. Close the air vents in your bedroom if you have forced-air or central heating or cooling so that particles cant travel through your house into your bedroom.
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Herbals And Dietary Supplements
During pregnancy, herbal remedies are used for nausea, respiratory symptoms, urinary tract infections, pain, and other nonspecific issues.40 However, there are few human data on the safety of herbal remedies in pregnancy. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 requires manufacturers to ensure the safety of supplements before marketing. However, there is no registration process with the FDA, which takes action only if a supplement is found to be unsafe after marketing.41 Herbals were not included in the NBDPS until the year 2000. According to a subanalysis of the NBDPS, 10.9% of women use herbals during pregnancy, most commonly peppermint, cranberry extract, herbal teas, ginger, chamomile, Echinacea, ginseng, raspberry leaf, and ephedra products.42
Prescription Medications Youre Already Taking
Before pregnancy, you may already be taking prescription medications for thyroid issues, high blood pressure, or other conditions. Speak with your doctor about continuing these medications, especially if youre already pregnant or plan to become pregnant in the near future.
In many cases, you may safely take your medication during pregnancy. Sometimes you may need to either adjust dosages or switch to another medication thats considered safer for you and baby.
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Is It Safe To Take Allergy Medication While Pregnant
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What Causes Seasonal Allergies
- cocklebur
- trees
- tumbleweed
Depending on where you live, spring allergies can pop up around February and end in early summer. Fall allergies can take place in late summer and continue until late fall. Pregnancy can make seasonal allergies worse. Also, a condition called rhinitis of pregnancy can cause similar symptoms to seasonal allergies. This usually occurs in the last trimester. But the cause of rhinitis of pregnancy is extra hormones, not allergens.
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Can Pregnancy Make Allergies Better
Asthma and seasonal allergy symptoms may worsen, improve, or remain unchanged during pregnancy. We cant predict exactly how a pregnant womans body and hormonal changes alter how the immune system reacts to foreign substances. For example, pregnancy induces swelling of the nasal mucosa, the inner lining of the nose.15 2018 .
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Instruction When Using Zyrtec
Zyrtec normally comes as a tablet of 10 mg. Just one tablet needs to be taken per day. Other generic Zyrtec versions include a 5 mg option.
If you don`t experience extreme allergic reactions, and you only require a bit of relief, you can choose to use this drug.
Zyrtec has to be used at the same hour every day. However, if it may happen for you to miss one dose, you can take one pill as soon as you can. If you just remembered that you have to take a dose near the time when your dose was scheduled, it`s not such a big deal if you skip one dose.
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Allergy Relief Alternatives To Zyrtec
While using this particular medication while pregnant is most of the time a normal thing, there are certain women who may be interested in avoiding drugs and turn to other alternatives that involve allergy relief.
Here`re a few drug-free methods that can be used to aid relieve seasonal allergic reactions.
- Avoiding pollen peak time frames Pollen is a massive trigger of allergies. If it also involves you, you should try and remain indoors as the day starts and then again around the middle of the day when it`s considered the pollen count to be at the highest.
- Physical exercise Research proves that exercises and workout could in fact aid ease the inflammation of the nose.
- Using saline Lots of people who experience allergic reactions are making use of saline spray in order to flush out the nasal passages and get them rid of various irritants. You could try and use a neti pot that is filled with saline water as well.
- Close the windows Although most people love fresh air, it isn`t a good idea when it comes people suffering of allergies, especially when talking about pregnant women. You should try and maintain the windows closed while in allergy season, and if it is hot outside, just use the air conditioner.
What About Immunotherapy
If you’ve been getting these shots, it should be safe to continue them during pregnancy, as long as you’re not experiencing any negative side effects. But, if not, wait until after baby arrives to start it. That’s because its hard to tell how you might react to the shots.
According to a report in Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology, the same guidelines apply to sublingual immunotherapy which involves taking tablets that dissolve under the tongue.
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Pain Or Headache Relief
Acetaminophen is the drug of choice for pain during pregnancy. Its widely used with very few documented adverse effects.
Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , on the other hand, should be avoided during pregnancy.
NSAIDs include:
- ketoprofen
- naproxen
If your pain is particularly severe after a surgery, for example your doctor may prescribe a short course of opioid pain relievers. When taken as directed, they may not affect fetal development.
That said, opioid use during pregnancy does carry the risk of withdrawal, called neonatal abstinence syndrome , after delivery.
What Is Allergy Medicine Safe To Take While Pregnant
There are no allergy medications that are entirely safe to take during pregnancy. Oral antihistamines, such as chlorpheniramine and cetirizine, are among the most frequent and effective allergy treatments during pregnancy, with no known side effects. Avoid using allergy medications throughout your first trimester, as this is when the baby is developing at its most critical stage. However, before using, always visit your doctor. Here are some things to keep in mind when taking allergy medications:
Over-the-Counter Antihistamines
As long as you follow the guidelines, these allergy medications are safe to take during pregnancy. Loratadine, cetirizine, and diphenhydramine are some OTC allergy medications that can be used during pregnancy.
When Antihistamines and Decongestants are Used Together
Antihistamine nasal spray and other decongestants coupled with antihistamines should be avoided because there isnt enough data to support their safety.
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Allergy Medicine While Pregnant
Environmental allergens like cat dander, pollen fungus and dust are present all around us. Being sensitive to any of these allergens can lead to allergic reactions that can cause eye watering, sniffing and sneezing. During pregnancy, these allergic symptoms can become better or get worse. If this happens, then questions like “Is my baby going to be affected” or “Can I take allergy medicine while pregnant” can come into your mind.
Is It Safe To Take Benadryl During Pregnancy
When youre suffering from an allergic reaction, you want to take something to help relieve the symptoms. Pregnant people have used Benadryl routinely and safely as an antihistamine to block the effects of allergic reactions.
Benadryl is generally safe to take during pregnancy. It is classified as a Category B medication by the Food and Drug Administration . This classification means the drug is believed to pose no risk to people taking the medication during pregnancy, and no risk to the baby as well.
However, it doesnt mean that its completely risk-free. There are no controlled studies to show its definitely safe in pregnancy, says Dr. Taraneh Shirazian, an OB-GYN at NYU Langone Health and founder of Saving Mothers.
Pregnant people still need to be cautious when taking the drug. Healthcare professionals advise to take Benadryl only when you need it for allergies since no medication is 100% safe to use during pregnancy, says Clinical Pharmacist Jerry Wong, PharmD, who has worked at Texas Childrens Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital. Benadryl should be used in the lowest effective dose for the shortest time possible, he cautions.
If your allergies are ongoing and you need relief beyond the occasional dose, speak to your physician. Dont use any medication regularly in pregnancy unless prescribed by a physician, advises Dr. Shirazian.
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