Allegra and Pregnancy: Some Precautions


If you are a pregnant, about-to-be-pregnant or nursing mother, you must know that taking care of your health is paramount. You should avoid drinking, smoking, and exposing yourself to chemicals or airborne substances that may affect the development of your child. Even the food you eat must be carefully monitored! The medications that you take matter, even allergy medication such as Allegra. If you would like to know more about Allegra and pregnancy, read on.

Pregnancy is a delicate state. In it, a woman experiences extreme hormonal changes, and passes on most of the chemicals she imbibes onto her own baby. It is therefore natural that Allegra and pregnancy would stand to pose some complications. However, it bears mentioning that studies on the effect of Allegra on pregnant and breastfeeding women have not yet been conducted. For now, medical experts speculate that Allegra may pose significant threats to the development of an unborn baby, but hard data based on experimentation has not been submitted for study.

Even if it is widely known as an anti-allergy drug, fit for use by most healthy adults under the age of 65, the unmoderated use of Allegra still comes with its own risks. Allegra is a drug that has strong contraindicative properties, meaning its effects may be greatly increased by other substances. These contraindications could be life-threatening. That is why you should avoid taking Allegra if you are taking any other regular medication.

Among the drugs that one should avoid taking with Allegra are medicines that contain erythromycin, ketoconazole and rifampin. Antacids that contain magnesium and aluminum should be taken at least 15 minutes before or after taking Allegra. Taking this particular allergy medication with traditional herbal supplements may also be risky, especially if you are not fully aware of the chemical components of the supplements.

Some cases of allergy to this antihistamine have also been recorded. An expectant mother may be allergic to fexofenadine. This is rare, however, as fexofenadine is a third-generation antihistamine that is under normal circumstances non-drowsy and safe for general use by healthy adults under the age of 65. Side effects such as headaches, backaches and nausea are rare, but they do occur. Experiencing severe side effects may be an indicator that an expectant mother is allergic to this substance. If this is the case, she should discontinue the use of Allegra as an allergy inhibitor. There should be other allergy medications in the market that pose fewer health risks.

When you are pregnant, you should avoid taking any medication that has not been prescribed or recommended by your doctor. This does not mean you should avoid allergy medication, but that you should only take allergy medication that your doctor has approved. In fact, some allergy medicines come with the precaution that it should be taken only when the benefits outweigh the risks. Allegra can be counted among these medicines. When in doubt about Allegra and pregnancy, always take the safer route and don't take the drug before you have consulted your physician.