Medications & Therapies

Approved Medications For Pregnant Women

View our approved list of safe medications for pregnant women below, please note this list changes frequently so please reach out to us with any additional questions.

List of Medications

Approved Medications For Pregnant Women

Allergies

  • Claritin (loratadine) – Not Claritin D
  • Benadryl (diphenhydramine)
  • Zyrtec (cetirizine hydrochloride)
  • Allegra (fexofenadine)
  • Flonase (fluticasone nasal spray)

Analgesia (pain relief)

  • Tylenol (acetaminophen)
  • Magnesium (for headaches)
  • Reglan (metoclopramide, for headaches)

Antibiotics/Antivirals

  • Amoxicillin
  • Augmentin (amoxicillin/clavulanate)
  • Flagyl (metronidazole)
  • Penicillin
  • Macrobid (nitrofurantoin)
  • Erythromycin
  • Keflex (cephalexin)
  • Tamiflu (oseltamivir)
  • Valtrex (valacyclovir)
  • Zithromax (azithromycin)

Cold Remedies

  • Robitussin (dextromethorphan)
  • Tylenol PM
  • Vicks vapor rub
  • Throat lozenges (any brand)
  • Afrin nasal spray (three day limit)
  • Airborne
  • Emergen-C
  • Mucinex (guaifenesin)
  • Breathright Nasal Strips

Constipation

  • Milk of Magnesia (magnesium hydroxide)
  • Metamucil
  • Colace (docusate sodium)
  • Miralax (polyethylene glycol)

Diarrhea

  • Immodium (loperamide)

Hemorrhoids

  • Proctofoam (hydrocortisone and pramoxine)
  • Preparation H (hydrocortisone)
  • Anusol (hydrocortisone)
  • Tucks (witch hazel)

Indigestion

  • Tums (dicarbosil)
  • Gas-X (simethicone)
  • Maalox (aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide)
  • Rolaids (dicarbosil)
  • Pepcid (famotidine)
  • Prevacid (lansoprazole)
  • Mylanta (aluminum hydroxide)
  • Riopan plus simethicone (magaldrate)

Nausea and Vomiting

  • Emetrol
  • Gatorade
  • Vitamin B6 (50mg 3x a day)
  • Peppermint & ginger tea
  • Ginger capsules
  • Unisom (doxylamine succinate)

Asthma

  • All asthma medications

Topical

  • Hydrocortisone cream
  • Clindamycin cream
  • Proactiv
  • IcyHot/ThermaCare/Biofreeze

Vaccines

  • Influenza
  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis A
  • Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis (Tdap)
  • COVID vaccines

In general, it is our recommendation that you avoid unnecessary medication use in pregnancy, especially in the first trimester when the embryo is developing. Due to ethical considerations, many medications have not been scientifically studied in human pregnancy. Knowledge about medication use in pregnancy comes from animal studies or experience with select women (i.e., the woman with asthma). Keep in mind even over-the-counter preparations, herbal remedies, and vitamin therapies may not be without risk.

Before stopping any medication, it is recommended that you discuss this with your health care provider. There are instances in which the benefit of medication use may out-weigh the known or unknown risk.