Question

I am a breastfeeding mother and i want to know if it is safe to use Clarinase? Is Clarinase safe for nursing mother and child? Does Clarinase extracts into breast milk? Does Clarinase has any long term or short term side effects on infants? Can Clarinase influence milk supply or can Clarinase decrease milk supply in lactating mothers?

Clarinase lactation summary

Clarinase is safe in breastfeeding
  • DrLact safety Score for Clarinase is 1 out of 8 which is considered Safe as per our analyses.
  • A safety Score of 1 indicates that usage of Clarinase is mostly safe during lactation for breastfed baby.
  • Our study of different scientific research also indicates that Clarinase does not cause any serious side effects in breastfeeding mothers.
  • Most of scientific studies and research papers declaring usage of Clarinase safe in breastfeeding are based on normal dosage and may not hold true for higher dosage.
  • Score calculated using the DrLact safety Version 1.2 model, this score ranges from 0 to 8 and measures overall safety of drug in lactation. Scores are primarily calculated using publicly available case studies, research papers, other scientific journals and publically available data.

Answer by Dr. Ru: About Clarinase usage in lactation

Second generation anti-histaminic drug with low sedative effect. Excreted in non-significant amount into breast milk. No side effects were observed in breastfed infants of treated mothers. The British Society of Immunology and Allergy rates it compatible with breastfeeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics rates it compatible with breastfeeding.

Answer by DrLact: About Clarinase usage in lactation

Because of its lack of sedation and low milk levels, maternal use of Clarinase would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants. Clarinase might have a negative effect on lactation, especially in combination with a sympathomimetic agent such as pseudoephedrine. The British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology recommends Clarinase at its lowest dose as a preferred choice if an antihistamine is required during breastfeeding.[1]

Clarinase Side Effects in Breastfeeding

A survey of 51 mothers who took Clarinase during breastfeeding between 1999 and 2001 was conducted by a teratogen information service. Most of the infants were over 2 months old and Clarinase was generally taken for one week or less. Two mothers reported minor sedation in their infants, one at 3 days of age and one at 3 months of age. Both mothers were taking a dose of 10 mg daily. Weight gain and psychomotor development were similar to infants in a control group of breastfed infants unexposed to medications.[3] An extension of the study that compared the results of this study (plus one additional patient) to that of a control group of 88 mothers who took a drug known to be safe while breastfeeding. No differences in sedation or any other side effects (p=0.606) in the infant were found between mothers who took Clarinase during breastfeeding and those of the control group.[4]

Clarinase Possible Effects in Breastfeeding

Antihistamines in relatively high doses given by injection can decrease basal serum prolactin in nonlactating women and in early postpartum women.[5][6] However, suckling-induced prolactin secretion is not affected by antihistamine pretreatment of postpartum mothers.[5] Whether lower oral doses of antihistamines have the same effect on serum prolactin or whether the effects on prolactin have any consequences on breastfeeding success have not been studied. The prolactin level in a mother with established lactation may not affect her ability to breastfeed. One mother out of 51 mothers who took Clarinase while nursing reported that she had decreased milk production after taking Clarinase 10 mg daily for less than one week at 4 months postpartum.[3]
Disclaimer: Information presented in this database is not meant as a substitute for professional judgment. You should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. We do not warrant or assume any liability or responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information on this Site.