| Condition | Safe OTC Medications to Take During Pregnancy* |
|---|---|
| First Aid Ointment | Bacitracin J & J Neosporin |
| Headache | Tylenol (acetaminophen) |
| Heartburn | Gaviscon Maalox Mylanta Riopan Titralac TUMs |
| Hemorrhoids | Anusol Preparation H Tucks Witch hazel |
Are over-the-counter medications safe during pregnancy?
Approximately 90% of pregnant women use medications while they are pregnant including both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications. Some medications can pose a threat to the pregnant woman and fetus with 10% of all birth defects directly linked to medications taken during pregnancy.
Is acetaminophen safe during pregnancy?
9 rows · Over-the-Counter Medications Safe for Pregnancy Comparable Trade/Generic Medications ...
Is it safe to take medications during pregnancy?
Most OTC medications taken during pregnancy are for allergy, respiratory, gastrointestinal, or skin conditions, as well as for general analgesia. Acetaminophen, which is used by about 65% of pregnant women, is generally considered safe during any trimester.
Are antihistamines safe to take during pregnancy?
Ideally ibuprofen should be avoided if less than 12 weeks of pregnancy and greater than 32 weeks of pregnancy. Acetaminophen (eg. Tylenol ) 325-500mg every 4-6 hours (Max 4g/day) Ibuprofen (eg. Advil , Motrin ) 200-400mg every 6 -8 hours (Max: 2.4 3.2g/day), safe between 12 -32 weeks.
What OTC medications are safe during pregnancy?
Over-the-Counter Medications Safe to Take During PregnancyAntacids (Tums, Rolaids, Mylanta, Maalox, Pepcid, Prevacid)Simethicone (Gas-X, Mylicon for gas pain, Gaviscon)Immodium or BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast or tea) for diarrhea.
What medicine can you take for Covid while pregnant?
A: For mild symptoms, it is safe to take several over-the-counter medications in pregnancy. For symptoms of fevers, chills or body aches, it is safe to take acetaminophen. One gram of acetaminophen (two 500mg tablets) every six hours can help decrease a fever. If you have a cough, cough syrups are safe in pregnancy.
Can I take Tylenol while pregnant?
Most pregnant women can take acetaminophen if their doctor gives them the thumbs-up. It's the most common pain reliever that doctors allow pregnant women to take. Some studies have found that about two-thirds of pregnant women in the U.S. take acetaminophen sometime during their nine-month stretch.20-Jan-2021
Can I take ibuprofen while pregnant?
Ibuprofen is not usually recommended in pregnancy, unless it's prescribed by a doctor, especially if you're more than 30 weeks pregnant. This is because ibuprofen can affect your baby's circulation and kidneys. There may also be a link between taking ibuprofen in early pregnancy and miscarriage.
Can I take Sudafed while pregnant?
Stuffy nose and sinus pressure Decongestant medications reduce stuffiness and sinus pressure by constricting the blood vessels in your nose, which reduces swelling. Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine are available over the counter as Sudafed and are safe for many women to use during pregnancy.09-Jan-2018
Can you have Theraflu while pregnant?
The manufacturer makes no recommendation regarding use during pregnancy.29-Sept-2020
Can I take Excedrin while pregnant?
Excedrin Migraine also contains acetaminophen, which is considered safe to take throughout pregnancy. It also contains caffeine.06-Oct-2021
Can I take Benadryl while pregnant?
Benadryl is considered to be safe during pregnancy. Doctors and nurses recommend this OTC medication to help relieve allergy symptoms, even while you're pregnant. Recent studies have found Benadryl to be safe. However, always remember that no medicine — prescription or OTC — is ever 100 percent safe during pregnancy.30-Mar-2020
Is Advil OK for pregnant?
NSAIDs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) include aspirin, as well as Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen). For the most part, aspirin is not recommended in pregnancy. Generally, up until 20 weeks gestation, ibuprofen and naproxen are considered safe in pregnancy.14-Jun-2021
Can I take aspirin while pregnant?
Use of low-dose aspirin — 60 to 100 milligrams (mg) daily — hasn't been found to be harmful during pregnancy and is sometimes recommended for pregnant women with recurrent pregnancy loss, clotting disorders and preeclampsia.
Is Biogesic safe for pregnant?
Use in Pregnancy & Lactation: Paracetamol crosses the placenta but the drug has been widely used as an analgesic in pregnancy and no adverse fetal effects have been recorded. However, as with any drug, a doctor is to be consulted before using Biogesic if pregnant or breastfeeding.
Can I take Tylenol PM while pregnant?
Sleep aids: Unisom, Tylenol PM, Sominex and Nytol are generally considered safe during pregnancy and are allowed by many practitioners for occasional use (though always check with your doctor first before taking them).10-Mar-2021
When did OTC medications start being reviewed?
Most data come from case-control and cohort studies. In 1979 , the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began reviewing all prescription and OTC medications to develop risk categories for use in pregnancy. Most OTC medications taken during pregnancy are for allergy, respiratory, gastrointestinal, or skin conditions, as well as for general analgesia.
Can pregnant women take OTC?
Many pregnant women take over-the-counter (OTC) medications despite the absence of randomized controlled trials to guide their use during pregnancy. Most data come from case-control and cohort studies. In 1979, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began reviewing all prescription and OTC medication …. Over-the-Counter Medications in Pregnancy ...
Can you take OTC medication while pregnant?
Most OTC medications taken during pregnancy are for allergy, respiratory, gastrointestinal, or skin conditions, as well as for general analgesia. Acetaminophen, which is used by about 65% of pregnant women, is generally considered safe during any trimester. Cold medications are also commonly used and are considered safe for short-term use outside ...
Can H2 blockers cause fetal problems?
Histamine H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors have not demonstrated significant fetal effects. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are generally not recommended in pregnancy, especially during organogenesis and in the third trimester. There are even fewer data regarding use of individual herbal supplements.
Is ginger good for nausea?
Ginger is considered safe and effective for treating nausea in pregnancy. Topical creams are considered safe based on small studies and previous practice. All OTC medication use should be discussed with patients, and the effects of the symptoms should be balanced with the risks and benefits of each medication.
Why was fexofenadine removed from the market?
Fexofenadine is a metabolite of terfenadine, which was removed from the market in 1998 because of a risk of cardiotoxicity. Studies (n = 2,195) on the safety of terfenadine in human pregnancy did not show a significant risk of congenital malformation. 5.
How many pregnant women take OTC?
More than 90% of pregnant women take a prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medication. 1 Although there are no randomized controlled trials to guide the use of OTC medications during pregnancy, women often use them for skin, allergy, respiratory, and gastrointestinal conditions in addition to general analgesia.
When did OTC medications start being reviewed?
In 1979, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began reviewing all prescription and OTC medications to develop risk categories for use in pregnancy. Most OTC medications taken during pregnancy are for allergy, respiratory, gastrointestinal, or skin conditions, as well as for general analgesia.
Can pregnant women take OTC medications?
Antacids and Antidiarrheals. References. Many pregnant women take over-the-counter (OTC) medications despite the absence of randomized controlled trials to guide their use during pregnancy. Most data come from case-control and cohort studies. In 1979, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began reviewing all prescription ...
Can ginger be taken during pregnancy?
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are generally not recommended in pregnancy, especially during organogenesis and in the third trimester. There is even fewer data regarding use of individual herbal supplements. Ginger is considered safe and effective for treating nausea in pregnancy.
Is ginger good for nausea?
Ginger is considered safe and effective for treating nausea in pregnancy. Topical creams are considered safe based on small studies and previous practice. All OTC medication use should be discussed with patients, and the effects of the symptoms should be balanced with the risks and benefits of each medication.
Is hydrocortisone 1% safe?
Hydrocortisone 1% is the only topical corticosteroid cream available OTC. Systemic absorption ranges from 1% to 7%, depending on the area treated and the underlying skin condition. 42 Although potent topical corticosteroids may have increased risks in pregnancy, the mild OTC forms are considered safe.
What is the most common antidiarrheal medication?
The most commonly used antidiarrhealmedications include kaolin and pectin prepa-rations(such as Kaopectate), bismuthsubsali-cylate (Pepto Bismol), loperamide (Imod-ium),4and atropine/diphenoxylate (Lomotil).The safety of the various agents is outlined inTa ble 4.4Kaolin and pectin preparations arenot absorbed. A possible association has beenidentified between the ingestion of clays con-taining kaolin and the development of irondeficiency anemia.17Use of bismuth subsali-cylate can result in absorption of salicylate andshould be avoided in pregnancy. Loperamidehas not been found to be teratogenic in ani-mals. However, at least one study4involvingfirst-trimester exposure in humans showed apossible increase in fetal cardiac malforma-tion. Atropine/diphenoxylate has been foundto be teratogenic in animals; however, there isinsufficient evidence of teratogenicity inhuman pregnancy.18
Is nicotine replacement therapy harmful?
Researchersbelieve that nicotine and its metabolic by-product, cotinine, are harmful to the develop-ing fetus because smoking is known to causeharmful fetal effects, including intrauterinegrowth retardation, premature birth, hyper-viscosity in the newborn, spontaneous abor-tion, fetal neurotoxicity, and pulmonarydefects, and an increased risk of sudden infantdeath syndrome.29For these reasons, the FDAclassifies nicotine as a Pregnancy Category Ddrug. The primary mechanism of these dele-terious effects is believed to be uteroplacentalinsufficiency. Reduced perfusion of oxy-genated blood through the placenta at variousstages of development may cause the variousmanifestations of fetal maldevelopment andinjury.
What decongestants affect blood flow to the placenta?
The decongestants pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine, which can affect blood flow to the placenta. Pain relief, headache, and fever. Acetaminophen (Anacin Aspirin-Free, Tylenol, Shake That Ache!) Allergy relief.
Is it safe to take medication while pregnant?
No medication is 100 percent safe, and even medication that's safe for someone else to take during pregnancy might not be safe for you. So always check with your healthcare provider before you take any kind of medicine during pregnancy – even an over-the-counter (OTC) product. In general, don't take more than the recommended dose, ...
Can you use Tolnaftate while pregnant?
Tolnaftate (Absorbine Athlete's Foot Cream, Absorbine Footcare, Genaspor, Tinactin) Certain Cruex, Desenex, and FungiCure products that may contain antifungal agents not listed here and should not be used during pregnancy. Check labels carefully and avoid any products containing active ingredients not listed here.
Is natural medicine safe for pregnant women?
Like any drug, some natural remedies are considered low risk in pregnancy and some aren't. The biggest challenge with determining the safety and effectiveness of natural or alternative remedies is that many haven't yet been studied in pregnant or breastfeeding women, so the risks are simply unknown.
Is it safe to use homeopathic remedies while pregnant?
Also, many natural and homeopathic remedies aren't well regulated, so it's difficult to know exactly what's in them. Some nonmedicinal treatments, like prenatal massage, can be perfectly safe and helpful during pregnancy. Others, such as acupuncture, are probably safe, but no one knows for sure.
Over-the-Counter Medications Safe to Take During Pregnancy
Caution: do not take aspirin (Anacin, Bayer) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).
Pain Relief
Caution: do not take aspirin (Anacin, Bayer) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).
Prevention
- Overall, available evidence suggests that decongestants (and combination formulations) should be used sparingly in pregnancy, particularly in the first trimester; however, further study is needed. Saline nasal sprays and adhesive nasal strips are safe OTC alternatives for treating nasal congestion. Table 3 summarizes the safety of decongestants in pregnancy.1016
Toxicity
- Dextromethorphan is a nonnarcotic antitussive isomer of codeine that was found to be teratogenic in chicken embryos. However, a human epidemiologic study and a smaller controlled study did not demonstrate elevated risks of congenital malformations.26
Side effects
- There are no prospective randomized controlled trials to determine the safety of acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen use in pregnancy. At least two-thirds of women use acetaminophen during pregnancy, and one-half of these women use it in the first trimester.1,4,27 Animal studies suggest that acetaminophen may decrease the diameter of the ductus arteriosus, but experimental condi…
Adverse effects
- In a recent study, neither ibuprofen nor naproxen increased the risk of spontaneous abortion when used in the first six weeks of pregnancy.38 A Swedish study of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use in early pregnancy did not demonstrate an increased risk of congenital anomalies overall; however, naproxen was associated with orofacial clefts, and all NSAIDs were …
Contraindications
- St. John's wort is generally not recommended in pregnancy because of a lack of human data.42,43 Echinacea can be used topically or orally. A study with 112 women who used Echinacea in the first trimester showed no increased risk of malformations.44 Feverfew is used for migraine prophylaxis. It inhibits platelet aggregation and prostaglandin production and is con…
Medical uses
- Topical antifungals are commonly used during pregnancy for treatment of vulvovaginitis. Imidazoles and nystatin are well studied and considered safe during pregnancy.4951 Systemic absorption of imidazoles varies from 1% with miconazole to 10% with clotrimazole; nystatin is negligibly absorbed. Terbinafine (Lamisil) is sold OTC as a 1% cream. No studies are available f…
Chemistry
- Hydrocortisone 1% is the only topical corticosteroid cream available OTC. Systemic absorption ranges from 1% to 7%, depending on the area treated and the underlying skin condition.42 Although potent topical corticosteroids may have increased risks in pregnancy, the mild OTC forms are considered safe. As with all steroid use, the lowest dose used for the shortest time po…
Safety
- Smaller studies have not shown an association between use of the topical antimicrobial bacitracin and fetal malformations.53 There are no studies regarding the safety of benzoyl peroxide use in pregnancy; however, the limited absorption of 5% suggests that it carries minimal risk.42 Overall, topical OTC antifungal, antimicrobial, and steroid creams are safe in pregnancy.