Corticosteroid Nasal Sprays While Pregnant?

[ZoeyZoo]

Does anyone have any information on corticosteroid nasal spray use during pregnancy? All of the brand names I have been able to find are class C due to no research in pregnant women.

Despite every natural remedy I've tried I am horribly congested ever since I went off the spray (when I found out I was pregnant). In the past, as well as now, I get sinus infections when I try to get off this drug. This started about two years ago. According to CT scans I had before I was pregnant, my sinus cavaties keep getting blocked and infected. They can't pinpoint why but the spray seems to keep them open and keep them from getting infected. I never had an infection or congestion while using the spray.

My ENT doctor mentioned she has has several pregnant patients take it and to consider it since I'm only 10 weeks pregnant and have to go on 2 courses of abx already. She thinks the risks of using it are less than having to go on abx several times.

I'm concerned because I can't find anything saying that any of them are safe for the baby. It looks like very little research has been done on them in that area.

Does anyone have more information on them? Or do any of the birth professionals have any opinions on this drug? Thanks in advance.

[Kitten]

Have you checked out kellymom.com? I *think* one of the rx nose sprays listed there is considered more benign.

I know you said that you've tried natural remedies, but have you tried a neti pot?

[ZoeyZoo]

Thanks Kitten. I'll give that site a try. Yes, I've also tried a Neti Pot.

[mclisa]

RhinoCort is a class B. The rest are class C.

[delphiniumpansy]

I have same issue but am nursing. Kelly mom does not say much except it has not been tested much. My doc said to weigh pros and cons of my health versus babies. Not fun to do. I am choosing to use spray for a few weeks while boosting my immune system and trying to use saline spray (I don't like neti pots - i prefer simply saline) and then hope to go off cortisone spray and avoid any future sinus infections. It is a crap shoot because antibiotics for a hard to cure sinus infection are not good, being sick is not good, cortisone sprays are not good. It sucks. : I also got a cold humidifier with a filter and will try that when I am congested too.

[Kitten]

http://kellymom.com/health/meds/cold...ml#nasalsprays

Here is the page at kellymom, I am too lazy to make it a link. It doesn't address pregnancy, only lactation. It does note that very little nasal spray will actually make it into your bloodstream.

I have terrible nasal allergies, but for me they only cause discomfort unless I get sick too. Then I have to haul out the neti pot or I get a sinus infection. The nasal sprays worked pretty well for me, but since my sinus/nasal allergies really only cause me misery I'm not using it right now.

If I were getting chronic sinus infections that the neti or other remedies weren't preventing I would take the nasal spray. The last time I took antibiotics for a sinus infection I got an awful opportunistic gut infection and was close to needing hospitalization.

Ask what class drug the nasal spray is, class B is "generally regarded as safe." Class A is best, but no drugs (even tylenol) are considered class A for pregnant women. Being classified as A requires extensive drug trials which wouldn't be considered ethical in pregnant women.