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Which medicines are safe to take while trying to conceive?

Diet & Fertility: Separating Myth from Fact to get pregnant faster naturally
 
Tylenol is safe to take anytime in pregnancy, but as always follow directions carefully for dosage as too much Tylenol is toxic. ALSO be a careful label reader since brand names can be deceiving. For example, while acetaminophen (Tylenol) is considered relatively safe for use in pregnancy, some combination products that include the brand name "Tylenol," such as Tylenol Allergy Sinus Maximum Strength, contain chlorpheniramine which is not safe for pregnancy. 

A list of safe drugs to take while pregnant can be found at BabyCenter, SafeFetus, and WebMD but be aware, just because a drug is classified “Category B” for pregnancy does NOT mean it is necessarily safe for those trying to conceive.  


Just because a drug is “Category B” and your doctor or a website says category B drugs are OK to take while pregnant does NOT mean it is necessarily safe to take when you are trying to conceive!  It just means there are no human studies showing adverse effects on the fetus. (Read here for description of FDA drug categories for pregnancy A-X)

Most medicines approved by the Food and Drug Administration are NOT tested on pregnant women because of ethical concerns. In fact, there is no pregnancy safety data for more than 80 percent of prescription and over the counter (OTC) drugs, making it extremely difficult for doctors and pharmacists to provide guidance. 

Some very common medicines can sabotage your pregnancy so don’t take anything without reading the label, and asking your doctor if you aren’t sure.


Make sure to read 
  • 8 Over the counter medicines that could sabotage your pregnancy

and
  • 15 Prescription drugs that can prevent pregnancy or cause miscarriage