Safe Medications for You and Your Baby

The medications below are generally safe to take during pregnancy for most women. Always ask your healthcare provider before taking any medication, herb, or supplement.

Fever, Headache, and Pain

  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol)

Colds and Cough

  • Cough Drops
  • Dextromethorphan (such as Robitussin DM, Robitussin PE, Vicks 44E)
  • Guaifenesin (Such as Mucinex)
  • Nasal Spray
  • Vicks VapoRub

Take only after 12 weeks of pregnancy

  • Phenylephrine
  • Pseudoephedrine (such as plain Sudafed)
  • Tylenol Cold

Sore Throat

  • Cepastat of Halls Throat Lozenges
  • Saltwater gargle

Motion Sickness

  • Dimenhydrinate (such as Dramamine)
  • Motion sickness wrist bands (such as Sea-Bands)

Allergies

  • Chlorpheniramine or Loratadine (antihistamines such as Claritin)
  • Diphenhydramine (antihistamines such as Benedryl)
  • Medicine with phenylephrine (such as Tylenol Allergy Multi-Symptom)
  • Nasal spray
  • Tavist Allergy
  • Zyrtec, plain

Nausea

  • Doxylamine (Unison Sleep tablets)
  • Emetrol
  • Ginger
  • Peppermint oil
  • Vitamin B6

Heartburn, Gas, and Bloating

  • Antacids (such as Tums or Rolaids)
  • Gaviscon
  • Mylanta
  • Pepcid
  • Prilosec
  • Simethicone (such as Gas-X or Maalox)
  • Tagamet

Constipation

  • High fiber diet (not a medication)
  • Medications to take by mouth:
    • Calcium polycarbohil (such as Fibercon)
    • Citrucel
    • Colace
    • Dialose
    • Dulcolax
    • FiberGard
    • Miralax
    • Psyllium (such as Metamucil)
  • Treatments to rectum:
    • Anusol HS 1%
    • Cotton balls soaked in Milk of Magnesia
    • Hemorrhoid creams (such as Preparation H)
    • Tucks
    • Xylocaine 2.5% ointment
  • Hemorrhoid suppositories

Diarrhea

  • Kaopectate
  • Loperamide (Imodium)

Yeast or other fungal Infections

  • Butenafine (Lotrimin Ultra)
  • Clotrimazole (Cruex)
  • Miconazole (Monistat 3 or 7 or Desenex)
  • Mycelex
  • Other anti-fungal products (such as certain kinds of Desenex or Certain)
  • Tolnafate (Absorbine Athlete’s Foot Cream, Absorbine Footcare, Genaspor, Tinactin)
  • Undecylenic acid used on the skin in small amounts (Cruex, Fungi Care, or Tineacide)

Insomnia (Not able to sleep)

  • Diphenhydramine (such as Benadryl, Maximum Strength Unison Sleep Gels, or Sominex)
  • Doxylamine Succinate (such as Unisom Nighttime Sleep-Aid)

Itching

  • Hydrocortisone cream (Cortaid, Lanacort)

 

Cuts and Scrapes

  • Polysporin ointment (such as Bacitracin or Neosporin)

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact your healthcare provider.

Created: 10/2021

Reviewed: 08/2023

Revised: 08/2023