This sheet is about exposure to fexofenadine in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This information is based on available published literature. It should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider.
What is fexofenadine?
Fexofenadine is an over-the-counter antihistamine that has been used to treat and prevent allergy symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, itching, and hives. Some brand names are Allegra® and Aller-Ease®.
Sometimes when people find out they are pregnant, they think about changing how they take their medication, or stopping their medication altogether. However, it is important to talk with your healthcare providers before making any changes to how you take your medication. Your healthcare providers can talk with you about the benefits of treating your condition and the risks of untreated illness during pregnancy.
I take fexofenadine. Can it make it harder for me to get pregnant?
Studies have not been done in humans to see if taking fexofenadine could make it harder to get pregnant. Animal studies have not shown that taking fexofenadine would affect fertility (ability to get pregnant).
Does taking fexofenadine increase the chance of miscarriage?
Miscarriage is common and can occur in any pregnancy for many different reasons. One study that compared the use of fexofenadine to other common allergy medications during pregnancy found no difference in the chance of miscarriage in those who took fexofenadine.
Does taking fexofenadine increase the chance of birth defects?
Every pregnancy starts out with a 3-5% chance of having a birth defect. This is called the background risk. Studies on fexofenadine have not found an increased chance of birth defects.
Does taking fexofenadine in pregnancy increase the chance of other pregnancy-related problems?
A study that compared the use of fexofenadine to other similar antihistamines did not find an increased chance for other pregnancy-related problems, such as preterm delivery (birth before week 37) or low birth weight (weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces [2500 grams] at birth).
Does taking fexofenadine in pregnancy affect future behavior or learning for the child?
Studies have not been done to see if fexofenadine can cause behavior or learning issues for the child.
Breastfeeding while taking fexofenadine:
Fexofenadine gets into breastmilk in small amounts. This amount is likely too low to cause problems for the baby. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about all your breastfeeding questions.
If a male takes fexofenadine, could it affect fertility or increase the chance of birth defects?
Studies have not been done to see if fexofenadine could affect male fertility (ability to get partner pregnant) or increase the chance of birth defects. In general, exposures that fathers or sperm donors have are unlikely to increase risks to a pregnancy. For more information, please see the MotherToBaby fact sheet Paternal Exposures at https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/paternal-exposures-pregnancy/.
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OTIS/MotherToBaby encourages inclusive and person-centered language. While our name still contains a reference to mothers, we are updating our resources with more inclusive terms. Use of the term mother or maternal refers to a person who is pregnant. Use of the term father or paternal refers to a person who contributes sperm.
