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Colds and Conception

Nothing to Sneeze About

By Ann Haarman

Are cold medications safe for the baby you may be carrying, and if you're not already pregnant, could these medications reduce your chances?

In terms of fertility, your answer is fairly simple. According to Dr. R. Don Gambrell, an OB/GYN and a clinical professor at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, very few over-the-counter medications have been shown to reduce fertility. Ibuprofen, naproxen and similar painkillers are the exception. In high doses, they can prevent a ripe egg from being released from the ovary.

In contrast, guaifenesin, an ingredient in cough syrup, has actually been prescribed for infertility caused by thick cervical mucous. "It decreases the cellular content and increases the quality and makes it easier for sperm to penetrate," Dr. Gambrell says.

If there's a chance you're pregnant, the question is more complicated. Doctors used to believe that the two weeks after conception and before implantation were a time when your baby couldn't be harmed by medications. That's no longer thought to be true, says Dr. Donald R. Mattison, medical director of the March of Dimes. Even before the embryo implants, cells are beginning to divide and differentiate. "Most physicians now think of all of the period in the first three months of pregnancy as being at risk," he says.

According to Dr. Mattison, most cold medicines are probably safe for your baby. But since they haven't all been thoroughly studied for safety during pregnancy, there's no way of knowing for sure. "In general, what I would encourage patients to do is minimize the use of any medication at all," he says.

Want to see more?

• Six Ways to Help Improve Female Fertility
• Are You or Aren't You?: The Most Common Signs of Pregnancy
• Six Months to Conception: A Practical 5-Step Plan Toward Pregnancy
• Talk about it!