Is It Safe To Use Cough Drops During Pregnancy?

Image: iStock

It is not uncommon for you to experience sore throat or throat irritation during the nine months of pregnancy. You may consider cough drops in such cases. However, some expectant mothers may be apprehensive of using cough drops during pregnancy due to their effects on the pregnancy.

Read this post to learn about cough drops’ safety and side effects during pregnancy. We also suggest precautions and alternatives to cough drops during pregnancy.

What Are Cough Drops?

Image: Shutterstock

Cough drops are medicated candies that dissolve slowly on oral consumption. They offer relief from cough and sore throat caused by common cold and allergies. The medicine lubricates and soothes the throat tissues that are irritated due to cough and cold. They are also referred to as throat lozenges and available as over-the-counter medications (1).

Are Cough Drops Safe During Pregnancy?

Cough drops are usually considered safe when used temporarily for short-term ailments such as a short-lived cold or sinus inflammation called sinusitis. But, you should avoid overindulgence of these drops and exercise caution to prevent long-term usage. Also, not all medications work the same way for everyone. Therefore, it is best to consult your doctor before taking them (2).

Dr. Ila Dayananda, board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist from Brooklyn, New York, says, “Cough drops with menthol or honey are usually safe to use during pregnancy. However, it’s essential to avoid those containing alcohol or artificial ingredients. If you experience a sore throat while pregnant, acetaminophen is generally considered safe for pain relief and fever reduction.”

A mother of two, who maintains a pregnancy blog called Baby Spoon, shares her experience dealing with a cough during her pregnancy. In one of her blog entries, she expresses, “The bad news is that I’m sick. Grossly sick. Not sleeping sick. Miserably sick. Urgent Care told me ‘You can’t take anything because it might hurt the baby! Maybe just some cough drops. But then only sparingly.’ Luckily, my lady doctor gave me a long list of medications I am ok to take that will not hurt the baby and I’m hopeful that at some point soon I will stop coughing (i).”

Besides cough drops, some other over-the-counter medications you can safely try after consulting a doctor are (3):

• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
• Dextromethorphan (Robitussin; cough suppressant)
• Guaifenesin (Mucinex; expectorant)
• Mentholated cream (Vicks Vapor Rub)
• Mentholated or non-mentholated cough drops
• Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed; after 1st trimester)
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)

How Do Cough Drops Work?

The composition of cough drops varies significantly from one brand to another. They contain both active and inactive ingredients that we list next.

Active ingredients

Inactive ingredients

Image: IStock

Apart from the primary active ingredients mentioned above, cough drops may also contain certain inactive ingredients, which include natural herbs such as:

• Sage
• Thyme
• Wild thyme
• Horehound
• Hyssop
• Mallow
• Elder
• Lemon balm
• Linden flowers

Since there are no specific warnings about the usage of these herbs during pregnancy, their effect on the expectant mother or the fetus is not known.

Which Ingredients Are Safe To Use During Pregnancy?

Cough drops containing guaifenesin and dextromethorphan are widely considered safe during pregnancy (11). Menthol drops are also regarded as safe, but there aren’t enough studies to prove they are safe or not during pregnancy (12).

Take cough drops that only help in relieving cough and sore throat. Those containing simple ingredients work better.

The list of popular cough drops that are considered safe for pregnant women are (13) (14):

• Halls menthol cough suppressant/Oral anesthetic drops
• Vicks menthol cough suppressant/Oral anesthetic drops
• Cepacol sore throat and cough drops
• Chloraseptic sore throat and cough drops

No matter what brand of cough drops you consider taking, it is advisable to check with your doctor before you do.

Which Ingredients Are Unsafe For Pregnant Women?

You should be aware of taking cough drops containing herbal ingredients as most of them are not tested for safety. Also, some include alcohol and should be avoided.

Point to consider

Sugar-free cough drops without herb blends or aspartame are considered safe for pregnant women with gestational diabetes (3).

Are There Any Side Effects Of Taking Cough Drops During Pregnancy?

It is natural to reach out for that couch drop or lozenge when you have a cold or a sore throat during pregnancy, but it is important to consider the possible risks of taking it.

• Suppress mucus production: Mucus is essential for the body to get rid of the germs (15). Cough drops could suppress the formation of mucus (16), trapping the germs within and increasing the chance of infection later.

• Aggravate sugar levels: If you have gestational diabetes, cough drops will hike the blood sugar levels as many of them have high sugar content (17). Ingredients such as corn syrup and other sweeteners lead to a sudden increase in the sugar levels.

• Uncertain ingredients: Some herbal ingredients are not safe for consumption, and therefore always check the composition and consult the doctor before you take medicine.

Quick fact

Although uncommon, excessive cough drops use may cause nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, or diarrhea in some individuals (19).

Precautions To Consider While Using Cough Drops

Image: IStock

Some of the dos and don’ts while taking cough medications are as follows:

• Read the composition to check if you are allergic to any ingredient.

• Check the expiry date as the medicine either loses its efficacy or taste or might be outright dangerous for you or baby when expired.

• Get sugar-free cough drops when you have the risk of gestational diabetes.

• In the case of severe mucus formation, consider medical advice before choosing any cough drops.

When cough drops are not ideal for you, try the alternatives for relief.

Alternatives To Cough Drops

Image: IStock

Sometimes, before trying cough drops, certain alternatives might help provide comfort. It is better to choose natural remedies over medications to treat cough and sore throat (18).

• Gargle with salt water (mix 1tsp salt in 8oz of water). It loosens mucus, relieves sore throat, and also kills the bacteria. Do not swallow the salt water because excess salt in drinks or diet may lead to medical conditions like high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia in pregnancy.
• Drink teas – chamomile tea with honey, ginger tea made of fresh ginger root, lemon and honey tea, and clove tea with honey
• Homemade chicken soup
• Suck on a piece of garlic; it helps ease the sore throat and pain
• Get enough sleep
• Drink lots of fluids to clear a nasty cold
• Use a humidifier or vaporiser in your room

Quick tip

Hot water with honey and turmeric or turmeric in milk might also help relieve cough during pregnancy (20).

When To Call A Doctor?

Image: Shutterstock

Refrain from using cough drops, skip home remedies and seek medical treatment by seeing a doctor if you are experiencing any of the following conditions:

• Cough and soreness of throat that lasts for two or more days
• The cough does not get better in a week
• Having a temperature of 101°C or more
• Having skin rash, nausea, vomiting, headache or swelling

Infographic: Ingredients To Look Out For In Cough Medications During Pregnancy

One should be careful when using over-the-counter medicines, including cough medications, during pregnancy. They may contain ingredients that could be harmful to maternal and fetal health. This infographic highlights some ingredients in cough medications that may not be safe throughout pregnancy.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Get the high-quality PDF version of this infographic.

Download Share

Was this article helpful?

The following two tabs change content below.

• Reviewer
• Expert
• Author
• Editor
• Fact-checker

Dr Sachchidananda MaitiMD

Dr Sachchidananda Maiti is a practicing Consultant Gynaecologist & Obstetrician in Manchester, UK both in the National Health Service (NHS) and in private care at Pall Mall Medical. He has more than three decades of clinical experience in the UK and abroad. He specializes in managing high risk early pregnancy complications and a variety of gynecological conditions using ultrasound scan,...more

• Dr. Ila DayanandaMD, MPH

  Dr. Ila Dayananda, a board-certified obstetrician & gynecologist, most recently served as the chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood of Greater New York. She studied medicine and master's in Public Health at Northwestern University Medical School and then pursued an OB/GYN residency at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA. Dr. Dayananda holds a Family Planning Fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA.
  
  Dr. Ila Dayananda, a board-certified obstetrician & gynecologist, most recently served as the chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood of Greater New York. She studied medicine and master's in Public Health at Northwestern University Medical School and then pursued an OB/GYN residency at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA. Dr. Dayananda holds a Family Planning Fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA.

shreeja pillaiMSc

Shreeja holds a postgraduate degree in Chemistry and diploma in Drug Regulatory Affairs from the University of Mumbai. Before joining MomJunction, she worked as a research analyst with a leading multinational pharmaceutical company. Her interest in the field of medical research has developed her passion for writing research-based articles. As a writer of more than two years experience, she aims...more

Rebecca MalachiBSc

Rebecca is a pregnancy writer and editor with a passion for delivering research-based and engaging content in areas of fertility, pregnancy, birth, and post-pregnancy. She did her graduation in Biotechnology and Genetics from Loyola Academy, Osmania University and obtained a certification in ‘Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy’ from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU). She has been into health and...more

Dr. Joyani DasM.Pharm, PhD

Dr. Joyani Das did her post-graduation from Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra and PhD in Pharmacology. Previously, she worked as an associate professor, faculty of Pharmacology, for two years. With her research background in preclinical studies and a zeal for scientific writing, she joined MomJunction as a health writer. Her research work was published in international journals and publications, such...more