Breastfeeding Safety With Zyrtec
Zyrtec is a brand name for the prescription medication cetirizine hydrochloride. Doctors commonly prescribe Zyrtec for relief from allergy symptoms, but the drug is not safe for everyone.
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Clinical Evidence
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FDA research published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine shows that when taken by nursing mother dogs, cetirizine causes puppies to grow more slowly. The dosage used in the study was 96 mg of cetirizine for each kg the mother dog weighed.
Features
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In breastfeeding humans, Zyrtec passes into your milk supply, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
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Expert Insight
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Because of the effects of cetirizine upon the development of puppies whose mothers were given the medication, the U.S. National Library of Medicine recommends that breastfeeding women not take Zyrtec.
Considerations
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There are no studies about the safety of Zyrtec's use in nursing humans, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine, and the dosage given to the dogs in the FDA study was more than 40 times the recommended daily dosage of cetirizine. Because of this, the safety of Zyrtec while breastfeeding is unknown, but still discouraged my medical professionals.
Solution
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Talk to your doctor about a different allergy medication for use while breastfeeding, such as triprolidine, which is considered safest amongst antihistamine drugs, reports KellyMom.com.
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References
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