Using Cough Drops While Pregnant: Is It Safe

Cough Drops During Pregnancy: Is It Safe?

The use of cough drops during pregnancy is not recommended due to the risk of miscarriage. There have been cases where women who used these types of drugs had miscarriages. Some studies suggest that it may even increase your chances of having a stillbirth.

There are several reasons why using cough drops during pregnancy is not recommended. First of all, there are other ways to get the same effect. Second, some medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) can cause birth defects if taken at high doses. Third, some medicines like aspirin can affect blood clotting and increase your chance of bleeding from the uterus. Fourth, there are other types of medication that do not contain alcohol and so they will not make you feel drunk.

Fifth, there are many different brands of cough drops available. If one brand does not work well for you then another might be better suited to your needs. Finally, there is the fact that most cough drops come in tiny little packets which makes them difficult to fit into a pocket or purse. It can also be difficult to keep them from being crushed when you are traveling.

If you cannot get over these concerns then it is probably best if you avoid the cough drops altogether. If you are having issues with a persistent cough you can try other options like using honey or a humidifier or cutting back on caffeine and sugar.

Is Luden’s Cough Drops Safe During Pregnancy?

Luden’s cough drops are made by the same company that makes Cherrios. They are one of the most popular manufacturers of cough drops and they dedicate a lot of their funding to advertising campaigns on tv. Luden’s cherry flavored drops are known as a “melt in your mouth” type, which means that they dissolve slowly without cooling or affecting the throat like a menthol would.

Luden’s are available in most drugstores or grocery stores where cold medicines are sold. You can also order them online at a discount from sites like Amazon or eBay. While Luden’s are safe to use there are some side effects, such as stomach pain and a burning sensation in the throat. These are fairly common among drops that contain alcohol, so just be aware of that if you decide to give them a try.

Sources & references used in this article:

Over-the-counter medication use, perceived safety, and decision-making behaviors in pregnant women by KL Kline, SM Westberg – 2011 – conservancy.umn.edu

A Review on” The Prospective Assessment and Evaluation of Prescriptions during Pregnancy” by S Sharma, Y Sharma – Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics, 2019 – jddtonline.info

Pregnancy and travel by SR Rose – Emergency medicine clinics of North America, 1997 – Elsevier

Travel considerations during pregnancy by A Jothivijayarani – Primary care update for ob/gyns, 2002 – Elsevier

Cutaneous application of menthol 10% solution as an abortive treatment of migraine without aura: a randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, crossed‐over … by A Borhani Haghighi, S Motazedian… – … journal of clinical …, 2010 – Wiley Online Library

Open trial to assess aspects of safety and efficacy of a combined herbal cough syrup with ivy and thyme by S Büechi, R Vögelin, MM von Eiff, M Ramos… – Complementary …, 2005 – karger.com

Herbal agents and over-the-counter medications in pregnancy by EA Conover – Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & …, 2003 – Elsevier

Antiperistaltic effect and safety of L-menthol sprayed on the gastric mucosa for upper GI endoscopy: a phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo … by N Hiki, M Kaminishi, K Yasuda, N Uedo, H Honjo… – Gastrointestinal …, 2011 – Elsevier

What do pregnant women know about non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs? by C Damase‐Michel, J Christaud… – … and drug safety, 2009 – Wiley Online Library