SEVERE RHINORRHEA AND RESPIRATORY-DISTRESS IN A NEONATE EXPOSED TO FLUPHENAZINE HYDROCHLORIDE PRENATALLY

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of respiratory distress with severe rhinor rhea in a newborn exposed prenatally to fluphenazine hydrochloride. CA SE SUMMARY: The safety of phenothiazines during pregnancy and the effe ct on the fetus and newborn are not well known. We describe a newborn who had severe rhinorrhea, vomiting, and respiratory distress after be ing exposed in utero to fluphenazine hydrochloride. Sepsis, choanal at resia, and congenital syphilis were excluded as causative factors for rhinorrhea. The rhinorrhea and upper airway obstruction responded to t reatment with pseudoephedrine. CONCLUSIONS: Severe rhinorrhea, vomitin g, and respiratory distress that occurred in this infant have not been reported previously following prenatal fluphenazine hydrochloride exp osure. Awareness of this problem would be helpful to clinicians and sh ould be considered in the differential diagnosis of rhinorrhea in newb orns.