Significance

• Everything a woman ingests during pregnancy is passed to the baby, so it is important that a pregnant woman be careful not to take in anything that could be harmful to the fetus.
  
  

Types

• The following types of cold medicine are considered safe to take while pregnant: doxylamine (Actifed), guaifenesin (Robitussin and Mucinex) and chlorphreniramine (Benadryl).
  
  

Time Frame

• Medications pose the biggest risk during the first and third trimesters. During the first trimester medications pose a risk to developing organs, and during the third trimester some medications can interfere with delivery, such as aspirin or ibuprofen.
  
  

Warning

• Many liquid cold medicines contain alcohol. Check the label and do not take these as alcohol can be damaging to the fetus.
  
  

Considerations

• Try some non-medicinal techniques for relieving cold symptoms, such as gargling salt water or sucking on honey throat lozenges.