Almost every pregnant woman will face a decision about taking or using medicines before and during pregnancy. However, not all medicines are safe to take during pregnancy. Some medicines may cause birth defects, pregnancy loss, prematurity, infant death, or developmental disabilities.
After getting a positive pregnancy test, your body is in for lots of changes. A recent National Birth Defects Prevention Study of more than 13,000 pregnant women found that about 30 percent of women undergo at least one course of antibiotic treatment between the three months prior to conception and the end of their pregnancies, most commonly during the fourth month of pregnancy.
What is Dovate ointment?
Dovate topical cream or ointment is a brand of clobetasol propionate used to help relieve redness, itching, swelling, or other discomfort caused by skin conditions. This medication is used to treat a variety of skin conditions (e.g., eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, allergies, rash). Clobetasol reduces the swelling, itching, and redness that can occur in these types of conditions. Dovate Cream may be used as part of a combination therapy. This means you may need to take it with other medications. Dovate Cream is used cosmetically by dark-skinned women for skin whitening, although this use is controversial.
How Dovate Cream works
Dovate ointment belongs to a class of drugs called topical corticosteroids. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. It works by activating natural substances in the skin to reduce swelling, redness, and itching. Dovate cream also reduces the activity of your immune system. This prevents inflammation and itching and treats your skin condition.
How should I use Dovate cream?
Dovate cream is for external use only. Do not take by mouth. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Wash your hands before and after use. Apply a thin film of medicine to the affected area. Do not cover with a bandage or dressing unless your doctor or health care professional tells you to. Do not get this medicine in your eyes. If you do, rinse out with plenty of cool tap water. It is important not to use more medicine than prescribed. Do not use your medicine more often than directed. To do so may increase the chance of side effects.
Can I use dovate ointment during pregnancy?
No, you should not use any potent steroids such as Dovate ointment, during pregnancy. This is true even if these drugs worked for you in the past. If you plan to breastfeed your baby, you should wait to use these drugs until after your child has stopped breastfeeding.
What are the side effects of Dovate cream?
Dovate cream doesn’t cause drowsiness. However, it can cause other side effects.
The most common side effects of clobetasol include:
- burning, irritation, and itching of the skin where you applied the drug.
If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Serious side effects
Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:
Adrenal insufficiency. Symptoms can include:
- low blood pressure
- fainting
- dizziness
- tiredness
Cushing’s syndrome. Symptoms can include:
high blood sugar or blood sugar in your urine, with symptoms such as:
- urinating more often than normal
- intense thirst
- intense hunger
- high blood pressure
Interaction
Dovate creamcan interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well.
To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, or herbs you’re taking. To find out how this drug might interact with something else you’re taking, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Examples of drugs that can cause interactions with Dovate creamare listed below:
Corticosteroids
Do not take these drugs with clobetasol. Doing so can cause dangerous effects in your body. Examples of these drugs include:
- prednisone
Taking Dovate creamwith other corticosteroids may cause the steroids in your body to build up to dangerous levels. This can cause Cushing’s syndrome and high blood sugar. It may also stop your adrenal glands from working well.
Dovate cream warnings
Dovate creamcomes with several warnings.
Allergy warning: Dovate creammay cause allergic skin reactions that are difficult to heal. Your doctor may do a skin patch test to check if you have an allergic skin reaction. Symptoms of a skin reaction can include:
- skin irritation that doesn’t heal
This drug may also cause severe allergic reactions. Symptoms can include:
- trouble breathing
- swelling of your throat or tongue
If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor or local poison control center right away. If your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Don’t take this drug again if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to it. Taking it again could be fatal (cause death).
Drug transfer warning
This drug may transfer to other people if they touch your treated skin. Be sure to wash your hands well with soap and water after you apply it.
Warnings for people with certain health conditions
For people with liver problems: This drug is processed by your liver. If you have severe liver problems, your body may not be able to break down this drug as well. This could cause the drug to build up in your body. This may increase your risk of side effects.
Warnings for other groups
For pregnant women: Dovate creamis a category C pregnancy drug. That means two things:
- Research in animals has shown adverse effects to the fetus when the mother takes the drug.
- There haven’t been enough studies done in humans to be certain how the drug might affect the fetus.
- Talk to your doctor if you’re pregnant or plan to become pregnant. This drug should only be used if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk.
For women who are breastfeeding: Dovate creammay pass into breast milk and cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. Talk to your doctor if you breastfeed your child. You may need to decide whether to stop breastfeeding or stop taking this medication.
For seniors: The kidneys, liver, and heart of an older adult may not work as well as they used to. This can cause your body to process drugs more slowly. As a result, more of a drug stays in your body for a longer time. This raises your risk of side effects. Your doctor may start you on a lowered dosage or a different treatment schedule. This can help keep levels of this drug from building up too much in your body.
For children: Dovate creamtopical cream has not been confirmed as safe and effective for use in children younger than 12 years. Most form of the drug, has not been confirmed as safe and effective for use in children younger than 18 years.
This drug may cause children’s adrenal glands to work more slowly. It may cause children to develop Cushing’s syndrome, grow more slowly, and gain weight. This drug can also increase brain pressure in children. Your child’s doctor can tell you more.
