Afrin Nasal Spray Safety During Pregnancy

Asthma and allergies are a nuisance to otherwise healthy individuals, but these conditions may pose serious medical complications for pregnant women unless they are controlled. The American College of Asthma, Allergies & Immunology estimates that up to 8 percent of women may be affected by asthma or allergies during their childbearing years. Symptoms can typically be controlled by avoiding known triggers and by the careful management of medications, including over-the-counter decongestants such as Afrin.

Identification

Afrin is a brand name nasal decongestant. Its active ingredient is oxymetazoline. This drug is classified by the Food and Drug Administration as belonging to pregnancy category C, which means there have been no reported studies in women or animals, or that studies in animals demonstrate adverse effects on the fetus. Drugs in pregnancy category C should only be administered if the health-care provider believes potential benefits to the mother outweighs potential risks to the unborn child.

Effects

Occurrence of serious side effects in patients who use Afrin brand oxymetazoline according to directions is considered to be low. Commonly reported side effects may include transient burning or stinging of the nasal passages. Patients may experience a runny nose or nasal dryness and sneezing. Less frequently reported side effects include hypertension, heart palpitations, nausea, headache, insomnia, dizziness and others.

Expert Insight

The Collaborative Perinatal Project reports that studies involving the use of oxymetazoline by pregnant women is too small to provide definitive conclusions. However, current results do not indicate an increased risk to the unborn child. The authors of the project report suggest pregnant women with borderline placental reserve should refrain from the use of oxymetazoline.

Warning

There is no information available regarding the ability of oxymetazonline to pass into breast milk. Pregnant woman who are considering breastfeeding should consult with their health-care provider prior to using Afrin or any other decongestant containing oxymetazoline.

Considerations

For the intermittent, short-term treatment of nasal congestion, nasal sprays containing oxymetazoline such as Afrin appear to be the safest choice. Most over-the-counter nasal sprays, including Afrin, can result in rebound congestion if used regularly for more than three days. Pregnant women should always consult their health-care provider before using Afrin, and should only use it in accordance with their instructions.

References

• Providence Health & Services
• American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
• Drugs.com

Resources

• MedScape