Cough Drops During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a condition, wherein the expecting mother has to be careful in her diet and medication. Whatever, the mother consumes, gets digested and absorbed into her bloodstream. It reaches the baby's bloodstream through the placenta. This is how the baby gets the required nutrients for its growth. So, if a pregnant woman consumes any medicine, it reaches the baby's bloodstream too. This makes it important for the expecting mothers to be very careful in taking medication and hence they should avoid its consumption without the advice of their doctors.

While some medication can prove fatal, there are some, which can be safely consumed during pregnancy. The best method is to prevent diseases, by taking precautionary measures. However, there are some common conditions, like cough and cold, which can affect any pregnant woman. A basic understanding about safe medicines can be very helpful in such situations.

Medication and Pregnancy

Most of us know that extra care has to be taken while having medicines during pregnancy. While, you can use the ones prescribed by your doctor, self medication can prove fatal at times. It cannot be said that all medicines are harmful, because, there are some, which are safe too. Unsafe medicines, when taken during the first trimester, can affect the fetal development and may result in birth defects. During the second trimester, the nervous system of the baby can get affected. Medicines taken during the third trimester can cause breathing difficulties in newborns.

Apart from that some medicines can cause complications in the mother too. It can be like inducing labor and bleeding. Sometimes, both the fetus and the mother may get affected. In short, wrong medicines can have effects, which can range from mild to severe and fatal too. An ordinary person without any sound knowledge of medicines may find it difficult to choose a pregnancy-safe drug, especially for common medical conditions like cough and cold, which can affect the expecting mother at the time of pregnancy.

Use of Cough Drops During Pregnancy

Cough and cold are only minor health problems, which may sometimes subside without treatment. But, cough can cause a little bit of difficulty during pregnancy, as persistent and forceful cough may lead to miscarriage or may induce labor. If you can avoid medication, well and good. Otherwise, go through the ingredients, before consuming any cough medication. In general, cough drops with dextromethorphan and guaifenesin are considered safe during pregnancy. A combination of both may also be taken. While cough medication with pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine are said to be safe during pregnancy, it may sometimes affect the blood flow to the placenta. This is one of the cough drops side effect during pregnancy.

Cough medicines with iodine and codeine should be avoided at any cost. If you can contact your gynecologist, then he/she will be the best person to prescribe you a pregnancy-safe cough medicine. However, minimize the use of cough drops during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. You may also resort to some harmless home remedies, like steam inhalation and a mixture of honey and ginger juice. If your symptoms are severe or are accompanied by other symptoms like fever and pain, then medical attention is needed.

So, be cautious and refrain from taking cough drops while pregnant. If you can contact your gynecologist, then it would be the best solution. Your doctor knows your condition better than anyone else. So, act as per the doctor's advice rather than going for over-the-counter medicines.