Can i take zicam when pregnant

Pregnant women could consider saline drops or a short-term nasal spray decongestant alternative. Herbal Ingredient Warning: Watch out for herbal ingredients in many over-the-counter medications. Chances are they have not been studied in pregnancy. We recommend avoiding any product containing herbal ingredients. Throat Lozenges and Vitamin Overload: Throat lozenges contain mostly sugar; however, some may contain other ingredients such as zinc or vitamin C.

Remember that since most women take a prenatal vitamin, you will also need to consider the combined dose you will be getting. Taking excessive amounts of vitamins is not recommended during pregnancy unless your doctor determines you are deficient. Cough Syrups and Alcohol: Some cough syrups contain up to 10 percent alcohol. Get alcohol-free cough syrup.

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Will the Allergy Relief Nasal Spray relieve more than just my nasal congestion? These combination products are often more convenient to the patient due to a decreased pill burden and cost. However, similar to nonpregnant patients, pregnant patients should use only the analgesic and cough and cold products that address their symptoms. This will help minimize potential risks from the use of unnecessary medications. Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine are pregnancy category C in all three trimesters of pregnancy.

However, they advise against the use of oral decongestants during the first trimester because of the potential increased risk of gastroschisis an abdominal wall defect. One prospective study of women using decongestants in their first trimester showed no elevated risk for malformations. Oral decongestants may also result in vasoconstriction, which can induce maternal hypertension and lead to impaired blood flow to the fetus.

Since impaired blood flow can hinder fetal growth, the risks of taking oral decongestants in the first trimester may outweigh the benefits.

In the second and third trimesters, pseudoephedrine can be recommended to pregnant patients in appropriate doses. To minimize exposure to the fetus, pregnant patients should take the immediate-release dosage form instead of the extended-release and take the minimum effective dose for the shortest duration possible. They also have sympathomimetic properties and may aggravate some medical conditions, such as diabetes mellitus and hyperthyroidism.

The patient should contact her physician if she has a high-risk pregnancy, a fever, or other signs of infection, if the congestion lasts longer than seven days, or if the medication does not relieve symptoms. The amount of fetal exposure is minimal due to the small amount of medication absorbed systemically. Few studies are available for any of the nasal preparations. However, one prospective study of and 56 women exposed to intranasal oxymetazoline and phenylephrine, respectively, did not show an increased risk for malformations.

Contraindications include a high-risk pregnancy, fever or any other sign of infection, and congestion longer than seven days. These products should be used cautiously, if at all, in patients who cannot take oral decongestants. The presence of underlying conditions e. An appropriate dose of oxymetazoline is two to three sprays per nostril every 10 to 12 hours maximum two doses per day.

It is important that patients be instructed not to use the medication more often than recommended or longer than three days, due to the risk of rebound congestion. If the medication is not effective, the patient should refer to her physician. Expectorants and Antitussives Guaifenesin: Coughing is a protective reflex.

Guaifenesin works to break up the mucus in the patient's chest to make the cough more productive. If the patient is able to cough up more of the mucus, the cough will likely decrease in frequency as the mucus is cleared. However, guaifenesin has not been proven effective against cough in patients with common cold symptoms.

Guaifenesin is considered pregnancy category C. Guaifenesin has not been studied as extensively as other OTC products. In one study of pregnant women, there was an association between guaifenesin exposure in the first trimester and an increased incidence of inguinal hernias. Fortunately, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and heart failure are relatively rare in women who are of childbearing age. Furthermore, ACE inhibitor use is also traditionally avoided in this patient subset.

See table 3 for specific circumstances when patients should not be self-treated for a cough and should be referred to a physician. Dextromethorphan: Since coughing may be protective, it should generally not be suppressed except in certain situations.

If the cough is not productive and interferes with sleep, or it is severe in nature, it can be suppressed. Similar to guaifenesin, dextromethorphan has not been shown to be effective in patients with common cold symptoms. Dextromethorphan is equipotent to codeine as an antitussive and is a pregnancy category C medication. Dextromethorphan exposure in the first trimester has been studied, and no increased risk of malformations was detected.

In women with a first-trimester exposure to dextromethorphan, there were three major and seven minor malformations versus five major and eight minor malformations in the control group. However, there is still theoretical concern that an antagonist at the N -methyl-d-aspartate receptor might affect fetal brain growth. To date, this adverse effect has not been studied in humans.

Concurrent use of dextromethorphan with central nervous system CNS depressants and monoamine oxidase MAO inhibitors within 14 days should be avoided. It has the same contraindications as guaifenesin therapy.

Since the available OTC cough products do not relieve the underlying cause, ACCP advises against the use of cough suppressants and expectorants for cough due to postnasal drip. For the postnasal drip cough, an antihistamine or decongestant is recommended.

Given that guaifenesin and dextromethorphan have questionable efficacy for cough related to the common cold, they should be used sparingly at most in pregnant patients. Nonpharmacologic measures for cough may prove more effective with less risk to the patient.

Thus, loratadine does not treat either rhinorrhea or sneezing from a nonallergic source. Brompheniramine and triprolidine are pregnancy category C. The most common concerns about antihistamine use in pregnancy are cleft palate loratadine and diphenhydramine , polydactyly diphenhydramine , retrolental fibroplasias, and uterine contractions diphenhydramine.

An association was found between antihistamine use in the last two weeks of pregnancy and an increased risk of retrolental fibroplasia. This may cause uterine contractions.

Due to lack of information and some theoretical risk, antihistamines should be avoided in the late stages of pregnancy. Several studies have examined antihistamine use in the first trimester and have not shown an increased risk of major malformations over those expected at baseline.

Two possible exceptions are brompheniramine and clemastine limb reduction defects. However, a cause-and-effect relationship has yet to be found. Triprolidine plus pseudoephedrine exposure in the first trimester has been studied in women.

Whether this was caused by triprolidine or pseudoephedrine could not be determined due to concurrent use. Caution is also advised regarding antihistamine use if the patient has concurrent narrow-angle glaucoma, peptic ulcer disease, asthma, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis. Patients should be warned that they may have motor impairment even if they do not feel drowsy. Other anticholinergic side effects are also possible.

Menthol is a common ingredient of many throat lozenges, sprays, and topical ointments. There are no human studies on the use of menthol during pregnancy; thus, its risk is undetermined. The concentration of menthol in these products is low, and the risk of malformations is therefore believed to be small.

Retrospective studies with a camphor-based product Vicks VapoRub have not shown any developmental toxicity associated with exposures during pregnancy. However, the American Pharmacist's Association's Handbook on Non-Prescription Drugs recommends patients consult their physician before using these medications. Echinacea: Echinacea is a common herbal medication used to stimulate the immune system.