Loratadine

Date: November 2018, Version 3

What is it?

Loratadine (Clarityn®) is a non-drowsy antihistamine used to treat allergies.

When deciding whether to use loratadine during pregnancy it is important to weigh up the potential benefits to your health and wellbeing against any possible risks to you or your baby, some of which may depend on how many weeks pregnant you are. Your doctor or specialist will be able to help you make decisions about your treatment.

Is it safe to take loratadine in pregnancy?

If you are taking any medicines while pregnant, you can discuss this with your doctor. You can then decide together whether ongoing treatment is appropriate, and if so, your doctor will ensure that you are taking the most effective dose.

Can taking loratadine in pregnancy cause birth defects in the baby?

A baby’s body and most internal organs are formed during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. It is mainly during this time that some medicines are known to cause birth defects.

There is currently no concern that exposure to loratadine in early pregnancy is linked to birth defects in the baby. However, relatively small numbers of women taking loratadine have been studied and ongoing research is required to confirm this.

The available evidence does not raise concern that pregnant women taking loratadine have a higher chance of having a baby with either any birth defect, or specific types of birth defect such as hypospadias (where the opening of the penis is in the wrong place) or heart defects. However, ongoing research is required to confirm these findings.

Can taking loratadine in pregnancy cause miscarriage?

There is no strong evidence that exposure to loratadine in early pregnancy causes miscarriage. However, more pregnant women taking loratadine need to be studied to confirm this finding.

Can taking loratadine in pregnancy cause stillbirth, preterm birth, or my baby to be small at birth (low birth weight)?

There are no known links between loratadine use in pregnancy and any of these pregnancy outcomes. However, for each of these outcomes, fewer than 400 women taking loratadine during pregnancy were studied in total, and so ongoing research is required.

Can taking loratadine in pregnancy cause learning and behavioural problems in the child?

A baby’s brain continues to develop right up until the end of pregnancy. It is therefore possible that taking certain medicines at any stage of pregnancy could have a lasting effect on a child’s learning or behaviour.

No studies have assessed the learning and behaviour of children exposed in the womb to loratadine.

Will my baby need extra monitoring?

Most women will be offered a scan at around 20 weeks of pregnancy to look for birth defects as part of their routine antenatal care. Taking loratadine in pregnancy would not normally require extra monitoring of your baby.

Are there any risks to my baby if the father has taken loratadine?

We would not expect any increased risk to your baby if the father took loratadine before or around the time you became pregnant.

Who can I talk to if I have questions?

If you have any questions regarding the information in this leaflet please discuss them with your health care provider. They can access more detailed medical and scientific information from www.uktis.org.

How can I help to improve drug safety information for pregnant women in the future?

Our online reporting system (MyBump Portal) allows women who are currently pregnant to create a secure record of their pregnancy, collected through a series of questionnaires. You will be asked to enter information about your health, whether or not you take any medicines, your pregnancy outcome and your child's development. You can update your details at any time during pregnancy or afterwards. This information will help us better understand how medicines affect the health of pregnant women and their babies. Please visit the MyBump Portal to register.

General information
Sadly, miscarriage and birth defects can occur in any pregnancy.

Miscarriage occurs in about 1 in every 5 pregnancies, and 1 in every 40 babies are born with a birth defect. This is called the ‘background risk’ and happens whether medication is taken or not.

Most medicines cross the placenta and reach the baby. For many medications this is not a problem. However, some medicines can affect a baby’s growth and development.

If you take regular medication and are planning to conceive, you should discuss whether your medicine is safe to continue with your doctor/health care team before becoming pregnant. If you have an unplanned pregnancy while taking a medicine, you should tell your doctor as soon as possible.

If a new medicine is suggested for you during pregnancy, please make sure that the person prescribing it knows that you are pregnant. If you have any concerns about a medicine, you can check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist.

Our Bumps information leaflets provide information about the effects of medicines in pregnancy so that you can decide, together with your healthcare provider, what is best for you and your baby.