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Catching a cold is very common with pregnant women as their bodies are a just a tiny bit immune deprived during pregnancy. Most women wonder if taking Nightquil for colds during pregnancy is ok or not. Well it depends on which stage of pregnancy one it at, but for the most part Nightquil is not recommended during pregnancy, read on to understand why.
For all expecting mothers and all women looking to get pregnant, you should already know by now that once you are pregnant your body will not be the same for the 9 months required to carry a pregnancy to term. As such, some of the little problem that your body would on a normal day fight away on it’s on, it will have challenges doing and will need a little help. One such illness is the cold, when you catch a cold during pregnancy you will find it difficult to shake it off naturally hence the need of some ointments which will bring you to the popularly used Nyquil.
Nyquil is an over the counter medicine that has proved to be very effective in treating the common cold and relieving flu symptoms. The medication can be used in case of any association of the following symptoms:
The medication Nyquil exists in 3 different types namely Nyquil Cold & Flu, Nyquil Severe Cold & Flu, and Nyquil Cough. Each of these type contains a different combination of compounds and active ingredient. How safe each of the Nyquil medication is for pregnancy depends on the compounds and active ingredients it contains. One thing for sure is that Nyquil Severe Cold & Flu should not be taken by pregnant women because it contains active ingredients and substances that are linked with birth defects. Use of the other types of the medication should be discussed with a doctor first.
The different active ingredients found in Nyquil has different effects on pregnancy, understanding the side effects will equip you with valuable knowledge that will come in handy when you have to choose medication to treat your common cold symptoms during pregnancy. Here are some of the active ingredients found in the 3 types of Nyquil:
Acetaminophen has serious but rare dangerous effect on you and the baby, these effects include:
This active ingredient is deemed safe to be used during pregnancy regardless of the length or stage of the pregnancy. However, it’s advised to weight the options first before using it as it has many side effects including:
doxylamine is another active ingredient which is said to be safe at any stage of pregnancy, including the first trimester. Some people use doxylamine together with vitamin B6 to relieve nausea and vomiting induced by pregnancy. However it has some side effects that are worth checking out:
Phenylephrine has harmful effects on the unborn baby, studies have shown that it can cause birth defects when used during pregnancy. Phenylephrine is most dangerous to a pregnancy when administered or used during the first trimester. Other effects of Phenylephrine include:
Most liquid forms of Nyquil contain alcohol as such the drug will exert alcohol effects when used during pregnancy. Almost everyone knows the effects of alcohol on unborn babies but just to put it out there the effects are premature birth, low birth weight, physical disabilities, and developmental disabilities
SO as you can see there is a lot that can happen when you use Nyquil during pregnancy. In order to make sure that you and your unborn baby are safe always, it’s better to refrain from using such medications during pregnancy unless you really have to and your doctor recommends it.
Nyquil is most dangerous during your first trimester and can be used cautiously in the second and third trimesters except for Nyquil Severe Cold & Flu, which contains phenylephrine an active ingredient known to cause birth defects and worsen cases of high blood pressure.
