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UK
Drugs in Lactation Advisory Service
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Antihistamines
- Individual
maternal and infant situations must be taken into account before any
drug is prescribed for the mother.
- In
general, all drugs should be avoided in premature or low birth weight
infants, or in those who have any underlying conditions.
- If
a drug is prescribed, it should be at the lowest practical dose and
for the shortest time.
|
Drugs
|
Suitability
for use in lactation
|
Comments
|
|
Preferred
agent is non-sedating, has a favourable ADR profile, a relatively
short half life and has data to support safe use in breast feeding
|
| Sedating
agents |
Chlorpheniramine |
No
|
Risk
of drowsiness and poor feeding |
| Clemastine
|
No
|
As
above. Single report of infant drowsiness and irritability when added
to anticonvulsant regimen |
| Diphenydramine |
No
|
Risk
of drowsiness and poor feeding |
| Promethazine |
No
|
As
above |
| Non-sedating
agents |
Acrivastine |
?
|
No
data available |
| Astemizole |
No
|
Long
half-life. Risk of infant accumulation especially in neonates. |
| Cetirizine |
Yes
|
Low
levels in milk |
| Fexofenadine |
?
|
No
clinical data available |
| Loratadine |
Yes
|
Low
levels in milk |
Drugs
classified with '?' should be used with caution and only after an assessment
of benefit to the mother versus risk, real or potential, to the infant.
These drugs either have insufficient clinical data on their use in lactation
to regard as absolutely safe or they have had minor, reversible side effects
reported in a breast-fed infant.
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