I took pseuphederine throughout first trimester! Should I worry?

[Celticqueen]

I am starting to worry. Before I knew I was pregnant, I was taking one dose of Sudafed a day for weeks because of a severe reoccurring sinus infection. When I found out I was pregnant, I stopped for a month until my nasal passages became completely obstructed from pregnancy rhinitis. I called my midwife and asked if Pseuphederine was ok and they told me yes, but to not overdo it and not every day. So, I used it sparingly. Now being 17 weeks I don't use it at all an haven't used it for 6 weeks or so. It's just bothering me...I just came across a study that found birth defects in babies whose moms use this decongestant during the first trimester so I am now wondering if my midwives gave bad advice. Really flustered about it. Do any of you know the statistics? Is it common for Pseuphederine to cause problems or is it rare?

I've never used more than the regular dosage and never every day but I still can't help but think about this so much throughout the day, every day and I just want answers! Google is also conflicting- when I started this research, websites contradict each other.

I guess all I can do now is continue to eat healthy, drink plenty of fluids and hope for the best but it's hard too thinking that something might have went wrong. What has your doctor or midwife told you about Sudafed?

[Celticqueen]

Have you heard one way or the other from your OB/midwife or have you taken Sudafed during pregnancy? It would be really nice to know what your experience has been

[AtomHeartMother]

i suffered from really bad sinus issues during my 1st trimester and now they've come back in the 3rd. one sinus headache was bad enough and last for over 3 days that i took myself to the er, i was at my wits end. the er doc recommended sudafed, used sparingly, alongside a nasal spray. sudafed in the morning, nasal spray at night. i react bad to sudafed so i only took one pill at a time/day, enough to take the edge off. when i had my first appointment with my midwife i discussed this, among other things (caffiene, sushi, etc.) with her. her response was to do things in moderation. a lot of women do a far worse things during their pregnancy that take some sudafed, drink soda, or enjoy a salmon roll. the interwebz is ripe for conflicting information, you'll never find the information you're looking for. in the end, i trust the recommendation of the er doc, who shared that she suffered from the sinusitis as well. and i trust the common sense approach of my midwife.

i suppose in the end, the answer is moderation is the key.

[scottishmommy]

Original sudafed is a very old drug, so we would likely know if it was dangerous. I took sudafed in both pregnancies and everything is fine. I would just relax about it. A sinus infection I more likely to cause big problems for you and your baby.

[Flor]

I was told that I could take sudafed.

[Celticqueen]

Awesome- thanks for the feedback! I asked my midwife (again) and she was assuring me it was fine. So since she is so natural minded and would still say that, I trust her judgement  As the previous poster stated, moderation is the key I think!