PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Miranda So AU - Pina Bozzo AU - Miho Inoue AU - Adrienne Einarson TI - Safety of antihistamines during pregnancy and lactation DP - 2010 May 01 TA - Canadian Family Physician PG - 427--429 VI - 56 IP - 5 4099 - http://www.cfp.ca/content/56/5/427.short 4100 - http://www.cfp.ca/content/56/5/427.full SO - Can Fam Physician2010 May 01; 56 AB - QUESTION Many of my pregnant and breastfeeding patients suffer from allergies and frequently ask me about the safety of antihistamines during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Should I advise them to use the older sedating medications? I have heard that they might be safer than the newer nonsedating class of drugs. Or have the newer ones been studied as well? ANSWER First-generation antihistamines are considered safe to use during pregnancy. There are relatively fewer data on the nonsedating second-generation antihistamines; however, published studies are reassuring. All antihistamines are considered safe to use during breastfeeding, as minimal amounts are excreted in the breast milk and would not cause any adverse effects on a breastfeeding infant.