Medicine Safety During Pregnancy: What You Need to Know

Highlights

• While many medicines are safe to take during pregnancy, some may cause harm to your baby.
• Before taking medicines during pregnancy, you should get advice from your doctor or pharmacist.
• If you are taking a prescription medicine, your doctor may change your dose or stop your medicine while you are pregnant.

In This Article

• What You Should Know About Medicines During Pregnancy
• Determining Medicine Safety While Pregnant
• Managing Prescription Medicines Safely
• Using Over-the-Counter Medicines
• Treating Common Conditions in Pregnancy
• Complementary Medicines and Pregnancy
• Risks of Illicit Drug Use
• Tools And Assistance

What You Should Know About Medicines During Pregnancy

Many medicines are safe to take during pregnancy. However, a small number of medicines can:

• Harm your baby
• Affect your baby’s growth and development
• Increase your chance of pregnancy complications

Each medicine is different. Before taking a medicine while pregnant, find out if it’s safe to use. This way, you can protect yourself and your baby.

The effect of a medicine on your baby can depend on factors such as:

• The stage of your pregnancy
• How much medicine you take
• How often you take the medicine

Determining Medicine Safety While Pregnant

To find out what medicines are safe for use during pregnancy, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist about any medicines you are planning to take when pregnant.

Sometimes it’s not clear if a medicine is safe to use when you are pregnant. You can find out by:

• Checking the medicine’s packaging
• Reading the medicine’s consumer medicine information leaflet (CMI)

Managing Prescription Medicines Safely

You may have prescription medicines to help with chronic (ongoing) conditions such as:

• Asthma
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• High blood pressure

Some prescription medicines must not be taken when you are pregnant. Others should be used carefully.

Stopping some treatments can also cause problems that can affect you and your baby.

Don’t stop taking your prescription medicines until you have spoken with your doctor.

If your doctor thinks a medicine will cause more harm than the condition itself, they may:

• Change your medicine
• Change the dose
• Stop your medicine altogether

You might find that your doctor doesn’t change your medicine. If you take regular medicines, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor when you are planning a pregnancy.

Using Over-the-Counter Medicines

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are medicines you can buy in a pharmacy, supermarket, or shop without a prescription.

Before using OTC medicines during your pregnancy, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

OTC medicines are often used to treat common conditions such as allergies.

Treating Common Conditions in Pregnancy

Cold and Flu

During your pregnancy, you may get a cold, which can cause symptoms like:

• Sore throat
• Cough
• Blocked or runny nose

Medicines such as cold and flu medicines are usually used to treat colds. During pregnancy, it’s best to treat your individual cold symptoms.

If you have a cough, medicines considered safe during pregnancy include:

• Pholcodine or dextromethorphan for a dry cough
• An expectorant such as guaifenesin for a chesty cough
• A mucolytic such as bromhexine for a chesty cough

If you have a blocked nose during pregnancy, you can treat it by:

• Inhaling steam (taking care to avoid burns)
• Using 0.9% sodium chloride nasal medicines

You should not use oral decongestants such as phenylephrine. Nasal decongestants can be used, but not for longer than 3 days.

If you have a sore throat, you can:

• Gargle salt water
• Drink lemon and honey products
• Use throat lozenges

Using too many lozenges can cause diarrhea.

Avoid products that contain:

• Povidone-iodine
• Benzydamine

Aches and Pains

Some pain relievers are safe for use during pregnancy.

You can use paracetamol to help with mild to moderate pain during pregnancy, like:

• Muscle pain such as back pain
• Headaches
• Toothache

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and aspirin, should be avoided during pregnancy unless advised by your doctor.

Some women may be prescribed low-dose aspirin for pre-eclampsia. You should always speak to your healthcare team before taking aspirin when pregnant.

Allergies and Hay Fever

Allergies, hay fever, and pregnancy rhinitis can cause:

• Sneezing
• Itchy nose and eyes
• Red, watery eyes

Antihistamines are often used to treat allergies. Most sedating antihistamines are safe to use in pregnancy at the recommended dose.

Non-sedating antihistamines such as loratadine should be used for the shortest length of time possible during pregnancy.

Allergy eye drops can also be used during pregnancy, for the shortest length of time possible.

During pregnancy, you can safely use corticosteroid nasal sprays that include:

• Beclomethasone
• Budesonide

Constipation

During pregnancy, the best way to manage constipation is to:

• Eat more foods that contain fiber, like fruit, vegetables, and whole grains
• Drink plenty of water

You can also speak to your doctor or pharmacist about taking a laxative.

You should avoid long-term use of laxatives that contain:

• Senna
• Bisacodyl

Heartburn

Around 8 in 10 pregnant women will experience heartburn and reflux.

If you have heartburn during pregnancy, you can try:

• Avoiding spicy, rich, acidic foods
• Avoiding lying down after eating

You can talk to your doctor or pharmacist about using antacids while pregnant.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea usually goes away without treatment.

During pregnancy, you can drink oral rehydration solutions to replace any fluids lost.

You should avoid treatments containing loperamide in the first trimester of pregnancy. It can be used after this on the advice of your doctor.

Thrush

Thrush is a common infection during pregnancy.

If you are pregnant, you can treat thrush with topical creams containing clotrimazole and nystatin.

Avoid fluconazole unless advised by your doctor.

Complementary Medicines and Pregnancy

Complementary medicines are also called ‘traditional’ or ‘alternative’ medicines. They include:

• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Herbal medicines
• Aromatherapy
• Homeopathy products

While these medicines are often described as natural, this does not mean they are safe. This is especially true during pregnancy. We often don’t know much about their safety.

If you want to use complementary medicines during your pregnancy, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. They can give you advice about which medicines are safe to use.

Risks of Illicit Drug Use

Illicit drugs should not be used during pregnancy, as they can cause harm for you and your baby. This includes:

• Cannabis
• Amphetamines
• Heroin
• Cocaine

You can talk to your doctor for support and advice.

Tools And Assistance

• Reach out to healthcare providers early, especially if you have a chronic condition or are planning pregnancy.
• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any medicine you plan to take.
• Ask questions if you’re unsure whether something is safe during pregnancy.
• Learn to read medicine labels and leaflets carefully.