Pregnancy & Sore Throat Medicine

Medicines taken orally are metabolized into the bloodstream. In pregnant women they may cross the placenta to the baby in minute levels. When treating sore throats with drug remedies you must be cautious that the product is safe during pregnancy.

Pregnant women should avoid certain sore throat remedies because they may have harmful effects on the fetus.

Risks

Some medications may cause a fetus to be born with defects or have difficulty thriving in the womb.

Harmful Ingredients

Sore throat medication formulas vary by manufacturer; however, in most cough, cold and allergy medications the harmful ingredients may include alcohol, antihistamines and decongestants. Alcohol may cause birth defects, as can some antihistamines.

Over-the-counter Pain Remedies

Pregnant women should also avoid any throat medicines containing aspirin (a blood thinner) and ibuprofen (which may cause fetal circulation problems).

Safe Drugs

Since drugs are not always tested on pregnant women due to risks to the fetus, it may be hard to find a truly "safe" drug to treat sore throat. However, midwife Cynthia Flynn on Pregnancy.org indicates that Sudafed and Tylenol are good to try.

Treating the Cause

Sore throats can be caused by a variety of factors during pregnancy. Determine if you can eliminate the trigger of the sore throat rather than treating just the symptom. For example, if it is due to dust, eliminate excess dust from your home.

References

• "Your Pregnancy & Birth"; The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; 2005
• March of Dimes: Drinking Alcohol During Pregnancy
• iVillage: Antihistamines

Resources

• WebMD: Taking Medication During Pregnancy
• Pregnancy.org: Medications to Alleviate Sinus and Sore Throat Pain During Pregnancy