Safe Pregnancy Medications

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Ante-Partum 1st Trimester 1st Trimester Office Visits What's Expected of You 2nd Trimester 2nd Trimester Office Visits 2nd Trimester Planning 3rd Trimester 3rd Trimester Office Visits Intra-Partum Care How Should I Deliver? What Should I Bring? Post Partum Care Breast Feeding Circumcision Discharge Instructions After Pregnancy Safe Pregnancy Medications
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Below, you will find a list of medications considered SAFE to use during your pregnancy. Please discuss with your provider any other medications you are considering before use.

ConditionSafe Medications to Take During Pregnancy*
Allergy
  • Benadryl
Cold & Flu
  • Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Tylenol Cold
  • Warm salt/water gargle
  • Saline nasal drops or spray
  • Sudafed ®, Actifed, Dristan, (avoid if you have high blood pressure or
  • are less than 12 weeks of pregnancy)
  • Robitussin DM, Trind­DM, Vicks Cough Syrup, Romilar, Halls lozenges
  • Do not take "SA" (sustained action) forms of these drugs or the "Multi­Symptom" forms of these drugs.
Constipation
  • Fiber Laxatives such as Metamucil, Citrucel, Fiberall/Fibercon Colace
  • Milk of Magnesia
Diarrhea
  • For 24 hours, only after 12 weeks of pregnancy
  • Kaopectate
  • Imodium
  • Parepectolin
First Aid Ointment
  • J&J
  • Bacitracin Neosporin
Gas
  • Simethicone (Gas­X ®, Mylicon ®, Phazyme ®)
Insomnia
  • Doxylamine (Unisom Sleep Tabs®)
Headache
  • Tylenol (acetaminophen)­ regular or extra strength, do not exceed recommended doses (3gm in 24 hrs)
Heartburn
  • Maalox
  • Mylanta
  • Tums
  • Pepcid
  • Zantac
Hemorrhoids
  • Preparation H
  • Anusol
  • Tucks
  • Witch hazel
Infection
  • Acyclovir (Zovirax ®)
  • Azithromycin (Zithromax ®)
  • Cephalosporins, such as cephalexin (Keflex®), cefazolin (Ancef ®),
  • cefaclor (Ceclor®)
  • Clindamycin (Cleocin®)
  • Erythromycin
  • Penicillins, such as Amoxicillin (Amoxil®), Amoxicillin Clavulanate
  • (Augmentin®), methicillin, carbenicillin.
  • Metronidazole (Flagyl®)
Insomnia
  • Doxylamine (Unisom Sleep Tabs®)
Motion Sickness
  • Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine ®)
Nausea and Vomiting
  • Vitamin B6 100 mg tablet Ginger
  • Sea bands
Rashes and Itching
  • Hydrocortisone cream or ointment
  • Caladryl lotion or cream
  • Benadryl cream
  • Oatmeal bath (Aveeno)

*Please Note: No drug can be considered 100% safe to use during pregnancy.

It is recommended that you avoid herbal medications as they have not been tested in formal clinical trials. We strongly recommend that you avoid the following herbal supplements:

  • Angelica
  • Arbor vitae
  • Beth root
  • Black cohosh
  • Blue cohosh
  • Borage oil
  • Cascara
  • Chaste tree berry,
  • Cinchona
  • Cotton root bark
  • Comfrey
  • Dong Quai (Chinese angelica)
  • Elder
  • Fenugreek
  • Feverfew
  • Ginseng
  • Golden seal
  • Henbane
  • Horsetail
  • Juniper
  • Kava kava
  • Licorice root
  • Meadow saffron
  • Motherwort
  • Mugwort
  • Nutmeg (as a supplement, not as a food flavoring)
  • Pennyroyal
  • Poke root
  • Rue
  • Sage (as a supplement, not as an herb in food)
  • Shepherd’s Purse
  • John’s wart
  • Senna
  • Tansy
  • Uva Ursi
  • White peony
  • Wormwood
  • Yarrow
  • Yellow dock
  • Vitamin A (large doses can cause birth defects)

Please discuss any herbal treatments with us before starting use.

Continue Reading: Your Diet during Pregnancy