As a pregnant woman, it is important to check anything consumed especially medicines are bad for the baby. Claritin (loratadine) is an over-the-counter medicine that is an antihistamine. It is meant to reduce the effect of histamines in the body. The histamines are an important part of why allergies occur therefore, antihistamines are used to suppress the immune system and as allergy medication. It reduces symptoms associated with allergies like a runny nose, watery eyes, cold and sneezing.
In this article:
Is it Safe to Take Claritin while Pregnant?
What Category is Claritin for Pregnancy?
Can Claritin Cause Miscarriage?
What if Claritin is Already Taken During Pregnancy?
Can Claritin During Pregnancy Cause Birth Defects in the Baby?
Can It Cause Stillbirth, Preterm Birth or Low Birth Weight in Baby?
Are there any Risks to Baby if the Father has Taken Claritin?
What Allergy Eye Drops are Safe During Pregnancy?
All You Need to Know About Taking Claritin During Pregnancy
Is it Safe to Take Claritin while Pregnant?
Consuming Claritin while pregnant is safe but can have different effects on different women. Consult the doctor first before consuming any medicine and check the side effects.
- According to the US Food and Drug Administration Agency, there are no known side-effects to consuming Claritin while pregnant. But these tests were conducted on pregnant animals and not on pregnant women.
- In any case, it is the doctor’s opinion. The doctor will prescribe the drug if it is necessary and if the benefits of consuming are more than the potential risks.
- The doctor will be sure to understand the symptoms that may require the consumption of this drug and then decide if Claritin can work without any side effects in the body.
- Claritin is important since it may help to sleep better and improve the mood but it should only be taken if necessary.
- It causes less drowsiness in women compared to other similar antihistamines.
- Pregnancy lowers the immune system, so Claritin may be required to ward off symptoms of allergies like cold and cough.
What Category is Claritin for Pregnancy?
Claritin is a pregnancy category B drug. It is a second-generation (selective, nonsedating) antihistamine.
Can Claritin Cause Miscarriage?
There is no evidence which shows that Claritin cause miscarriage in women. There have been two studies conducted on the matter and one of them concluded that there was no correlation. However, the other found that women who consumed Claritin were twice as likely to have a miscarriage but this could be explained by other factors that can have the same effect. The women in the second study were slightly older and the assessment of the study was taken at a slightly earlier stage compared to the women in the first study. Also, miscarriage can occur in any pregnancy.
What if Claritin is Already Taken During Pregnancy?
If already consumed Claritin during pregnancy, don’t stress out. Let the doctor know about it as soon as possible. The doctor will decide whether it is okay for consumption and work out the lowest possible dose required to get the effect of the medicine. Also, the doctor will ensure that the consumption of Claritin only for the required amount of time.
Can Claritin During Pregnancy Cause Birth Defects in the Baby?
The organs of the baby are usually formed in the first trimester of pregnancy and it is at this stage that many medicines have been shown to cause birth defects in the baby. There have been three studies that investigated whether defects occur in such babies but in all three, the babies came out just fine. However, all of the studies used less than 400 mothers, so the results cannot be conclusive. Only two studies have found a correlation between birth defects like shortened limb and consumption Claritin in the first trimester of pregnancy but there have been other studies that said that there is no correlation whatsoever. Therefore, it was concluded that Claritin does not cause any birth defects in the baby if consumed in the first trimester.
Can Intake of Claritin in Pregnancy Cause Stillbirth, Preterm Birth or Low Birth Weight in Baby?
There is no correlation between Claritin and stillbirth, preterm birth or low birth weight. However, extensive research is still required for a proper conclusion.
Are there any Risks to Baby if the Father has Taken Claritin?
No, there are no risks associated if the father has consumed the medicine before or around the time of pregnancy.
What Allergy Eye Drops are Safe During Pregnancy?
Many allergy medications are not safe to take during pregnancy but Claritin (loratadine) and Zyrtec (cetirizine) are two over-the-counter antihistamine medications that doctor consider safe to use during pregnancy and when breastfeeding.
These second-generation agents Claritin and Zyrtec are preferred as they have been wide studies for possible teratogenic effects have been found to be nonteratogenic till date. These medications are used after the first trimester if it has to be and preferably avoided in the early pregnancy when organogenesis takes place.
Therefore, first-generation antihistamines such as chlorpheniramine, hydroxyzine and dexchlorpheniramine are the safest among antihistamines that can be used during pregnancy.
Conclusion
Claritin has not been found to have any harmful effects on the child, even though extensive research on the topic is yet to be done. To be on the safe side, always talk to the doctor before its consumption.
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3356948/
- https://www.cdc.gov/pregnancy/meds/treatingfortwo/features/antihistamines-and-bd.html
