Cough Medicine and Pregnancy
A cough and cold can be miserable for anyone, but dealing with a bad cough when pregnant is even worse. Some cough medicines are considered "low-risk" and should be fine for most pregnant women to take. However, a doctor should be consulted before taking cough medicine or any other type of over-the-counter medicine during pregnancy.
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Types
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According to the Food and Drug Administration, the following types of cough medicine can be taken when pregnant: the cough suppressant dextromethorphan (Robitussin Maximum Strength Cough, Vicks 44 Cough Relief), the expectorant guaifenesin (Robitussin, Mucinex), guaifenesin plus dextromethorphan (Robitussin DM), and most standard cough drops.
Time Frame
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The cough medicines listed above are considered safe, but doctors recommend that they be taken for only a few days at the most. No medicine is guaranteed to be completely safe for the fetus, and prolonged use could be harmful.
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Effects
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Cough medicine should cause no harm to the baby when taken responsibly. Since suffering from a bad cough can be miserable for the pregnant woman--often leading to sleepless nights and even vomiting-- many doctors believe the benefits of taking cough medicine outweigh the risks to the fetus.
Considerations
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There is no way to be certain that any drug, including cough medicine, is 100 percent safe to use during pregnancy, so many pregnant women and their doctors prefer to not take any unnecessary risk and avoid it.
Warning
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While some cough medicines are safe during pregnancy, experts advise that women refrain from taking any form of over-the-counter medicine during pregnancy unless it is absolutely necessary.
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