# Use of anthisan bite cream and antihistamine tablets in early pregnancy



## ambergrace (Feb 7, 2009)

Hello


I have just discovered that we have a natural BFP which we are thrilled about but I am slightly worried about the fact that I've been using anthisan bite cream and antihistamine tablets to treate a spate of insect bites in recent weeks prior to finding out about the pregnancy. (We were due to start a final round of IVF next month, and I know it sounds silly but we have just kind of gone beyond thinking that we would ever manage to conceive naturally hence why I went ahead and used them just assuming that pregnancy would not have happened).


I have obviously stopped using both since discovering the BFP earlier this week (and I think I only took a total of 3 antihistamine tablets on 3 separate days at the beginning of last week when the bites were particularly bad) but I know neither are sanctioned for safe use in pregnancy...I know there's nothing I can do about it now as what's done is done, but what would the specific risks to the pregnancy be?


Thanks in advance for your help


Amber


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## mazv (Jul 31, 2006)

Can you tell us which antihistamine tablets you took? I wouldn't be worried though if you had only taken a few tablets.

Generally speaking antihistamines can be used in pregnancy for specific conditions where the benefit outweighs the risk. There are no proven increases in teratogenic risks in humans with the commonly used antihistmines chlorphenamine, loratidine, cetirizine. There is less data available with the newer drugs loratidine and cetirizine though.


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## ambergrace (Feb 7, 2009)

Hi Maz


Thank you for your reply. They were  Numark hayfever/allergy relief tablets containing cetirizine hydrochloride. 


Thanks


Amber


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