Taking Mucinex During Pregnancy: What to Know

Bottom line: Ask your health care provider before taking Mucinex or any cough medicine during pregnancy, so the two of you can weigh the severity of your symptoms with the potential risks (if any) of medication. 

As Dr. Robyn Horsager-Boehrer wrote in a post for UT Southwestern Medical Center, avoid medication formulated for multiple symptoms during pregnancy, as they can contain unnecessary amounts of acetaminophen. Also, she writes, natural cough remedies like a spoonful of honey can be just as effective (or more effective) than medication.

Determining the risk of the other active ingredients found in Mucinex is a little trickier. Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant that works by interfering with the "cough" signal in your brain. Guaifenesin works by loosening the mucus in your chest. There are some reports of a small risk of neural tube defects linked to guaifenesin, but the evidence is inconclusive. It's listed in a report by the American Academy of Family Physicians as "might be unsafe during first trimester." In the same report, dextromethorphan is listed as "appears to be safe in pregnancy," but as is true for many drugs and ingredients, there isn't enough evidence to say conclusively either way.

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For Dr. Gloria Bachmann, an OB-GYN and the director of the Women's Health Institute at Rutgers University, the rule to follow is the same one she advises all pregnant people stick to, no matter the health concern or question: check with your doctor (or midwife, practitioner or other care provider). This is important not only before you consume a new medication, according to Bachmann, but also to make sure you don't write off a more serious illness as a common cold, allergies or even a mild case of COVID-19. 

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With allergy season approaching, and COVID-19 still here, many people are reaching for over-the-counter medication in the hopes of relieving congestion or getting through a cough. What about one of the most popular ones, Mucinex?

Emma Kenny, who specialises in victimology, appeared on This Morning today to speak to Philip Schofield and Alison Hammond ahead of her new show 'The Serial Killer Next Door' where she discusses how to spot traits of serial killers and what they look for in victims.

Impacts of COVID-19 on the pregnant person and their baby mostly center on delivery, as women with COVID-19 are more likely to give birth preterm or experience a stillbirth than women who don't have COVID-19. 

But the pandemic, like your growing belly, is changing by the day. It's hard to keep on top of the current booster guidance, as well as the emergence of new subvariants like omicron BA.2. (This is on top of other pregnancy news and guidance, including what foods you should avoid.)

If you've ever considered taking medicine while pregnant -- or you've had the TV on long enough to hear the commercial line "tell your doctor if you're pregnant or breastfeeding" -- you'll know there's a giant disclaimer that comes with taking anything during pregnancy. Despite the big caveat and lack of medical research on pregnant people, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nine in 10 women will take at least one medicine during pregnancy.