The antiemetic effect of a non sedating antihistamine (cetirizine) during pregnancy

Introduction: Vitamin B6/doxylamine, is used for the treatment of nausea and vomiting and has strong sedating properties. The objective of this study was to examine the possible antiemetic effect of cetirizine, a non sedating antihistamine. Patients and Methods: We prospectively followed up a group of women who had used cetirizine in early pregnancy and compared them to another group of women who did not, to determine which group had a lower incidence of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. Results: Sixty followups were completed in each group. All the women who had used cetirizine, had taken the recommended dosage of 10mg per day in a single dose, for allergy symptoms. The women in the cetirizine group had a significantly lower rate of vomiting in pregnancy p=0.0001, but not nausea p=0.06 than the control group. Conclusion: This preliminary study, suggests that cetirizine possesses antiemetic properties, even with a single dose of 10mg per day.