Can Taking Cough Medicine Help Me Conceive? - BabyCentre UK

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1. Getting pregnant /
2. Actively trying for a baby

Can taking cough medicine help me conceive?Medically reviewed by BabyCentre UK Medical Advisory Board, Medical ExpertsWritten by Jenny Leach

Although taking cough medicine to help you conceive seems like a simple and easy treatment, there's little in the way of medical research to support the idea. Yet some women do say it worked for them. A common ingredient in cough mixtures is the expectorant, guaifenesin. Guaifenesin thins mucus in your airways, making it easier for you to cough up phlegm. And, because guaifenesin works on all the mucus membranes in your body, it may make your cervical mucus more wet and loose too.

Advertisement | page continues belowIf you don't produce much wet, slippery mucus around ovulation time, your partner's sperm may not reach your cervix. The theory is that having looser, thinner cervical mucus may help the sperm to reach your egg.As with any medicine when you're trying for a baby, talk to your doctor before taking guaifenesin. It's generally advisable not to take medicines unless it's strictly necessary, just in case you conceive. If you've been trying to conceive for a while, you may want to talk to your doctor, anyway.Only one small study, carried out in 1982, has used guaifenesin to thin cervical mucus. It looked at a few women who had a specific fertility problem. Most of the reports that it can help couples to conceive are anecdotal, rather than scientific. Many cough and cold medicines also contain other ingredients. Some have ingredients such as antihistamines. These dry up mucus and reduce wet cervical fluid, which is the opposite of what you want. If you really want to try cough mixture to help you conceive, choose a medicine in which the only active ingredient is guaifenesin. Start taking it just before you're due to ovulate.Find out if using vaginal lubricants can help you to get pregnant.Advertisement | page continues belowWas this article helpful?YesNo

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Track your pregnancy on our free #1 pregnancy & baby appJenny LeachJenny Leach is an editor and writer specialising in evidence-based health content. Opens a new window Opens a new window Opens a new window

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