Safe Medications During Pregnancy

If you have a little one on the way, congratulations! Pregnancy is an exciting time - and one that also comes with a million questions. One of the most frequently asked questions during pregnancy is which medications are safe for mom and baby. At Franciscan Health, our OBGYN and pharmacy teams are pairing up to offer insights on pregnancy-safe medicines for mom and baby.

Pregnancy And Medicine

Whether you come down with a cold, have an aching back or are running a fever, you typically would reach for medicine you've successfully used before to alleviate your symptoms. However, when you're pregnant, it's not quite as simple. Your first stop will be to check the back of a medicine bottle; however, few over-the-counter medications and prescriptions call out if they're safe to take during pregnancy. But don't despair - you won't have to play detectives with your medicine cabinet.

Your doctor and pharmacist will help guide you to pregnancy-safe medications and review all medicines you currently take - including over-the-counter, herbal products and natural supplements. During your first OBGYN visit after your pregnancy is confirmed, you will receive a complete list of pregnancy-safe medications - and which medicines are unsafe to take while pregnant.

How Do I Know What Medicines Are Safe When I'm Pregnant?

According to the American Pregnancy Association, in most cases, different medications can address a particular medical problem. Your healthcare provider might want to switch your prescriptions to lessen any risk to your baby, but they will discuss options before recommending a different medication.

Many women need anti-nausea medicine to help combat morning sickness, especially in the first trimester. Over-the-counter treatments include:

• Vitamin B: Helps pregnant moms with mild to moderate nausea and is the first-line treatment for morning sickness.
• Antihistamines: Doxylamine and other antihistamines treat nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Make sure to discuss this with your healthcare provider - doxylamine is available over-the-counter but could make you sleepy.
• Reflux: Medications like Zantac or Pepcid sometimes work if your nausea is triggered by stomach or intestinal problems.

Pregnancy-Safe Medicines

The Franciscan Health OBGYN and pharmacy teams recommend the following pregnancy-safe medicines to be used as a guide. As always, check with your healthcare provider before taking any new medications while pregnant.

• Acetaminophen: The active ingredient in Tylenol is considered safe during pregnancy and used primarily for headaches, fever, aches, pains and sore throat.
• Allergies: Doctors suggest avoiding allergy triggers as much as possible during pregnancy, especially things like mold, pollen and animal dander. If your allergies need treatment, try at-home remedies like humidifiers, saline or salt water nasal spray. For allergy medicine, our expert team recommends over-the-counter medications like Claritin, Zyrtec and Alleroff, as well as intra-nasal steroid sprays like Nasonex or Flonase.
• Anxiety/depression: There are many medications to treat anxiety and depression, whether you've been feeling this way for a while - or if these feelings are new since becoming pregnant. Speak with your healthcare provider to find pregnancy-safe treatment options - we'll help you find the best option to fit your needs.
• Aspirin: Avoid salicylic acid, the active ingredient in aspirin, while pregnant.
• Hemorrhoids: Witch hazel or phenylephrine/mineral oil/petrolatum are pregnancy-safe hemorrhoid remedies.
• Pseudoephedrine: This decongestant is found in cold and flu products like Sudafed and is not safe during the first trimester. Generally speaking, decongestants should be safe in the second and third trimesters - but check with your healthcare provider first.
• Sleep aid: Diphenhydramine, found in sleep medicines like Unisom Sleep Gels, is safe while pregnant.
• Yeast infections: Miconazole - found in Monistat - is safe to use for yeast infections during pregnancy.