10 Jun 2022
When a woman is planning to conceive or is already pregnant, she is only concerned about the health of her baby. She takes care of everything that she eats during pregnancy, be it food, drinks or medicine, as these things will be taken by the baby as well through the placenta.
When it comes to medicine, it is usually taken after consultations with the doctor but some medicines are available over-the-counter such as medicine for pain, fever, cold, acne, allergy etc.
Such medicines should be specially taken care of at the time of pregnancy and should be taken after discussion with the healthcare practitioner for the peace of mind.
What Is Claritin Used For?
Allergies are such a nuance in the life of a pregnant woman. It slows down the daily vibe of scheduled works and brings effects on moods.
Everybody has a self defence mechanism whenever there is a threat to the body in terms of dust, polluted air, pollens etc. the histamines in the body are produced as a result of self defence and you sneeze , cough, cold etc in order to throw out the toxins.
Indeed a natural self defence system but can frustrate you in your life. The anti-histamines has been a proven medicine to tackle allergies and relax you down to get back on your vibe.
Antihistamines inhibits the production of histamines through receptors in your body ,Claritin is such mostly used anti drowsy antihistamines, and also proven safe to use
Loratadine (Claritin) which is an antihistamine medicine for the treatment of allergies due to eczema, conjunctivitis, hay fever, hives or food allergies. Loratadine is available over the counter; buy Loratadine online from a certified online pharmacy (Haria, M., Fitton, A. and Peters, D.H., 1994).
Let us study more about what Claritin is, how it works and if it is safe to take at the time of pregnancy.
How Does Claritin Work During Pregnancy?
Claritin (generic name- loratadine) is a non-drowsy long-acting, second-generation anti-allergic drug, as it has lesser sedative effect as compared to the other antihistamines. It is available on both prescriptions as well as over-the-counter.
It works by selectively inhibiting the H1-receptor which is primarily located on vascular endothelial cells, respiratory smooth muscle cells, immune cells and gastrointestinal tract.
Unlike first-generation antihistamine drugs i.e. Benadryl, claritin does not cross the blood-brain barrier. Thus, it does not affect the CNS and sedation is not induced.
During pregnancy women are prone towards getting affected due to allergies that affects their immune system and also harmful for the fetus. As a precautionary measure allergy medicine such as Claritin works efficiently in providing protection.
It is usually given to patients with runny nose, watery eyes, itchiness, hives and allergic rhinitis. It shows its effect rapidly i.e. within 1-3 hrs and reaches its peak after 8-12 hrs (Kar, S., Krishnan, A., Preetha, K. and Mohankar, A., 2012).
Can I take Claritin during Pregnancy?
Claritin is generally considered safe and reliable antihistamine for use, even during the pregnancy, however, it is always recommended to check with the concerned doctor regarding any medication during pregnancy (Kar, S., Krishnan, A., Preetha, K. and Mohankar, A., 2012). The healthcare provider will help provide medicine with the effective dose.
Can Claritin cause any Birth Defect when taken during Pregnancy?
The internal organs of a baby are formed during the first trimester. This is the most crucial period where some medicines are likely to cause birth defects.
There is currently no evidence which could enlighten on the birth defects due to claritin. One study has mentioned the slight risk of hypospadias.
Hypospadias is a condition that happens in boys in which the ejection opening tip of the penis is formed in the down side of the penis making it hard to urinate and other functions as it is closed by the outer skin, but the other studies of claritin have confirmed that this drug does not increase the chance of birth defects, including hypospadias.
However, research is going on for further findings. So we can say that Claritin is safe in pregnancy and has less chance of birth defects (Shawky, R.M. and Seifeldin, N.S., 2015).
Can Claritin Affect My Baby weight?
Again There is no specific evidence found in studies that claritin has affected the weight or limbs of the baby Also there was no study linking this effect on the baby. If you still feel concerns about your baby health you can ask your health consultant and get stress free.
Can Claritin Help in Hay Fever During Pregnancy?
Hay fever is caused when your nose and eyes come in contact with allergic elements in the environment and results in cold, fever, red eyes, runny nose and sneezing.
Pregnancy period is too unleft from this, Claritin as an antihistamines treats Hay Fever even in pregnancy, it has no other side effects or defects during the pregnancy.
Can Claritin During Pregnancy Cause Miscarriage?
Miscarriage due to antihistamine like Claritin is hard enough. There is no such evidence, a study was conducted to find this but found no strong results regarding the same. Claritin does not cause any harm to the prenatal health although it is an otc drug but for pregnant ladies it is prescribed.
Is Claritin Safe to use while Breastfeeding?
Claritin is an efficacious and safe antihistamine and is not expected to cause any harm to the fetus. But precaution is required during breastfeeding.
This drug should be taken for short-term while breastfeeding as loratadine and its metabolites are readily passed into the breast milk. There is no risk to infants when loratadine is taken for the short-term and at lowest possible dose (So, M., Bozzo, P., Inoue, M. and Einarson, A., 2010).
What If You Already Taken Antihistamine And Later Realized You are Pregnant?
Realizing you are pregnant can happen as it is a different notion and news, you must have used Claritin(Antihistamine) for your allergy purpose, although it has no effect on your pregnancy.
So just relax and understand the actual reality, questions can be confusing when you don't have the answers. Hence claritin is safe before or pre pregnancy period.
Side Effects of Claritin during Pregnancy
Claritin is a well-tolerated and most effective anti-allergic drug with rare or no side effects at all. Some people might observe symptoms like headache, rash/itching, dizziness or lightheadedness. In any case, it is advised to seek help from the registered health practitioner.
Conclusion
Pregnancy is a dynamic period with many doubts, expectations and things that go with it. Especially when you are using a medicine even though it's a basic meds hypothesis still happens.
Always remember whenever you are in doubt, always shout( mean consult with your health care authority). And hope you got the answer that Claritin is safe to use in pregnancy
It is expected to have no adverse effect on the fetus and it does not cause any pregnancy related problems. Claritin helps to resolve your allergies and you can get back on your pregnancy vibe hasslefree.
