Pregnancy & Patanol
Patanol provides relief for itchy, red eyes. Allergy sufferers rely on the medicine to control symptoms, relieve the pain or discomfort and provide clearer vision. The health effects of Patanol on mothers and fetuses, however, is not clear. Pregnant women should use Patanol only with permission of their health care provider.
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Benefits
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Patanol helps control the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis (red eye). Research has shown that the medication can inhibit histamines that cause allergic symptoms. Research to date has found little or no systemic effect--the drug does not appear to cause side effects in other parts of the body.
Function
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Patanol is an antihistamine. It works by blocking the production of histamines, a substance produced by the body in response to allergens. According to the Pregnancy Risk Information Line, there's no information indicating that antihistamines in general can affect a healthy pregnancy. PRIL cites a comprehensive study of birth defect data that found no link between antihistamine use and birth defects in early pregnancy. There is evidence, however, that some antihistamines used in the third trimester of pregnancy can increase the risk for eye damage in premature newborns. (See Resources Below).
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Categorization
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The Food and Drug Administration lists Patanol as a pregnancy category C drug. These drugs have not been shown to cause serious problems if used during pregnancy. It's important to note, though, that not enough research has been done involving pregnant women to draw a firm conclusion. A drug is placed in category C if studies have found a risk of harm to pregnant animals and their fetuses. This means that health care providers and pregnant women must weigh the benefits of the medicine, such as controlling symptoms, against the risks, such as potential harm.
Research Findings
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No studies have been done involving olapatadine, the active ingredient in Patanol, and pregnant women. Olopatadine has, however, caused stillbirths in animals when given in extremely large doses. According to the National Institutes of Health, scientists do not know if the same results would occur in humans. Still, NIH warns the drug should be used only when the potential benefit to the mother justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
Alternatives
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If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, and use Patanol, discuss the risks and benefits of using the medication with your health care provider. If you need stop using Patanol and other antihistamines during your pregnancy, remember that there are many ways of treating allergies. Learn what triggers your allergies--dust, grasses, pollen, foods--and try to avoid them. If you have allergies to dust, grasses or pollens, keep windows and doors sealed, stay indoors when pollen counts are high and wear a pollen mask when outdoors.
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