Which Unisom Is Safe For Pregnancy

How To Take Unisom

Every medication has its own set of dosage guidelines. The following steps will guide you how to use Unisom :

• Go through the directions mentioned in the product package of Unisom and consult the pharmacist in case any confusion arises. Use Unisom as per the package instructions and only divert if advised by the doctor.
• Take Unisom orally with or without food. In case of stomach problems, Unisom can be ingested with food or milk. However, seek advice of a reputed clinician before administering Unisom to yourself or someone else.
• Unisom is also available in a chewable form which needs to be chewed properly before swallowing.
• When taking the liquid form of Unisom, do not use a household spoon for taking the dose since that does not provide accurate measurements. Use a measuring device to measure the correct dosage as advised by the doctor.
• Do not try to self-medicate yourself since only a doctor can decide the dosage that is optimal for you based on your age, medical condition and other similar factors.
• Take the medication half an hour before bedtime.
• In case you miss a dose of Unisom while pregnant, take it as soon as you remember. However, if the time is too close to a second dose, forget about the first dosage and follow the normal routine.

Understanding Drug Labels When You’re Pregnant

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s prescription drug labeling system offers detailed summaries of a drug’s effects on pregnancy, lactation and “reproductive potential” . This label helps moms-to-be and nursing moms better understand the effects of a drug they’re taking after a doc prescribes it.

• The “pregnancy” section outlines the likelihood and seriousness of developmental abnormalities from exposure to a drug when it should be prescribed side effects clinical trial data directions for use during labor and delivery and alternative treatments, if applicable.
• The “lactation” section includes how much of the drug is secreted in breast milk an estimate of how much an infant will consume as a result of mom taking the drug data on the effects of a baby’s exposure to the drug and how to minimize an infant’s exposure.
• The “reproductive potential” section explains any effects the drug might have on contraception pregnancy testing and infertility while and after you’re taking it and additional precautions to take.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

Are Unisom And Vitamin B6 Safe For Pregnant People

ACOG verifies that taking Unisom and vitamin B6 are safe. Both drugs, taken alone or together, have been found to be safe to take during pregnancy and have no harmful effects on the fetus, explains ACOG.

However, you should be sure to speak with your healthcare provider before starting any medications, says Lynn L. Simpson, MD, an OB/GYN and the chief of the Maternal Fetal Medicine division at Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center. Your provider can also help you figure out how to take these and what the best dosage is for you.

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How Does Unisom Work

The active ingredient in Unisom is an antihistamine. Another antihistamine that may sound familiar is diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in medications like Benadryl.

When you take Unisom, the medication blocks the production of histamine and acetylcholine in the body. When these compounds are reduced, a person will start to feel sleepier.

If you are only having trouble sleeping while pregnant, your doctor might recommend Benadryl. Unisom is likely to be recommended for consistent nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

Frequently Asked Questionsexpand All

Your ob-gyn or other obstetric care provider might suspect that you have one of these conditions if you have signs or symptoms that usually do not occur with nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. Some of these signs and symptoms include:

• Nausea and vomiting that occurs for the first time after 9 weeks of pregnancy

• Abdominal pain or tenderness

• Enlarged thyroid gland

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Can I Take Anything To Help Me Sleep While Pregnant

There are also other over-the-counter and prescription sleep aids that are considered safe for occasional use in pregnancy, including Unisom, Tylenol PM, Sominex and Nytol, but always check with your doctor before taking these or any kinds of herbal preparations. You should also try not to take sleep aids every night.

What Can I Take For Sleep During Pregnancy

There are also other over-the-counter and prescription sleep aids that are considered safe for occasional use in pregnancy, including Unisom, Tylenol PM, Sominex and Nytol, but always check with your doctor before taking these or any kinds of herbal preparations. You should also try not to take sleep aids every night.

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What Is Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is one of the most common symptoms during early pregnancy. Although many women feel sick during a specific time of day, such as in the morning, others may experience this symptom at any time.

Doctors do not fully understand what causes morning sickness, but hormonal and blood glucose changes may play a role.

The symptoms of morning sickness are often relatively mild and will usually not harm the fetus. However, if a woman is unable to keep down food and fluids, this could put the fetus at risk. Any woman who is concerned about nausea and vomiting during pregnancy should see her doctor or obstetrician.

Up to 3 percent of pregnant women develop hyperemesis gravidarum, which is a more severe form of morning sickness. Doctors diagnose a woman with this condition when she loses more than 5 percent of her prepregnancy weight and has symptoms of dehydration.

Women with hyperemesis gravidarum may require medical treatment or hospitalization.

Some dietary and lifestyle interventions may help reduce or prevent morning sickness.

Strategies that a woman may wish to try include:

How Do Women Use This Treatment

The ACOG recommend that women first try dietary and lifestyle interventions to treat morning sickness. If these interventions do not work or the symptoms are severe, they suggest trying vitamin B-6.

If vitamin B-6 does not provide symptom relief, a woman may wish to try doxylamine too. The ACOG state that a person can take these drugs separately or as the combination drug Diclegis. However, Diclegis is a prescription drug, and the cost may be prohibitive for some people.

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, for treating morning sickness, women should take:

• 10 to 25 milligrams of vitamin B-6 every 8 hours
• 25 mg of doxylamine at night

For Diclegis, the manufacturers recommend that women take two tablets daily at bedtime. If symptoms do not improve, they suggest increasing the dose to three or four tablets, taking the extra ones in the morning and mid-afternoon.

• vision problems
• sleep disturbances

People who experience severe or concerning side effects should stop taking vitamin B-6 and doxylamine and consult their doctor.

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Pain Medications To Avoid

• NSAIDs including aspirin and ibuprofen: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are a category that includes aspirin and ibuprofen. Studies have shown that women who take these drugs are more likely to give birth to babies with heart defects.
• Opioid pain medications such as codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine: Taking these medications is associated with severe birth defects affecting the brain, heart, and intestines, as well as withdrawal symptoms in newborns.

Does Doxylamine Cause Birth Defects

Bendectin was voluntarily removed from the market in 1983 by its manufacturer, Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, following numerous lawsuits alleging that it caused birth defects, although an FDA panel concluded that no association between Bendectin and birth defects had been demonstrated.

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What Medications Are Safe To Take During Pregnancy

From the moment you get the happy newsthat youre an expectant parentyour priority is doing whats best for your child. An important part of keeping a growing baby healthy during pregnancy is learning which medications are safe to take.

Birth defects occur in 3 to 5 out of every 100 pregnancies. This is called the background rate. Drugs considered safe during pregnancy are those that are not believed to increase the risk of birth defects.

Its important to note: You should not take any medication without consulting your doctor or pharmacist. Everyones health situation is different. If you have any of the health issues below while pregnant, or while youre trying to become pregnant, a medical professional will be able to recommend the best treatment plan for your specific circumstances.

What Form Of Unisom And Vitamin B6 Should You Take

ACOG recommends taking vitamin B6 supplements first, and adding in Unisom if that doesnt seem to be working. Additionally, ACOG states that it is safe for pregnant people to take a prescription medication that combines both vitamin B6 and doxylamine.

As Dr. Simpson explains, this is usually a prescription medication called Diclegis. shown to be more effective than taking Unisom and vitamin B6 separately, says Dr. Simpson. Dr. Simpson says that for mild cases of morning sickness, taking 10 to 25 mg of vitamin B6 every 6 to 8 hours may be helpful.

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How Long Do Unisom And Vitamin B6 Take To Work

Unisom is generally fast-acting, says Dr. Ramos. In general, doxylamine works shortly after ingesting, she says. So, if you have nausea now, you will get relief shortly after taking.

If you are taking a prescription like Diclegis , relief will be slower but longer-lasting. The prescription combination is an extended relief formulation. If you take it at night, by morning it will be taking effect, says Dr. Ramos.

Safe Prescription Blood Pressure Medications

• Beta blockers such as Lopressor and Toprol-XL , Corgard and Tenormin : A recent study ruled out the risk of major first-trimester birth defects associated with beta blockers. However, there may be health risks during delivery, so make sure your doctors know if you are taking these medications.
• Calcium channel blockers including Norvasc , Cardizem, Tiazac, and others , Adalat CC and Procardia and Verelan and Calan : Multiple studies show no correlation between CCB use and major birth defects.
• Diuretics such as Diuril , Bumex and Midamor : Studies show that there is no increased risk of birth defects among mothers taking diuretics.

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Try Gentle Sleep Aids

People get squeamish about taking pills while pregnant, and with good reason. The problem with most drugs and supplements is that they are not studied on pregnant women, especially newer ones like CBD, so its hard to know with 100 percent certainty if they are safe, says Dr. Shirazian. However, some are widely believed to be fine.

My doctor suggested that I take Unisom, an over-the-counter antihistamine that touts itself as drug free. She also said I could try low doses of melatonin, a hormone that the body naturally produces as part of your sleep cycle. When I asked her if it was okay to take both regularly, she said yes. So I take a small amount of melatonin and two of Unisoms SleepMelts on most nights, and it makes a huge difference. The only time I ever felt groggy the next day was after I decided to skip the pills, only to lie awake for hours and take an emergency melatonin at 4 a.m.

In general, antihistamines are safe in pregnancy, confirmed Dr. Shirazian. Millions of pregnant women have taken antihistamines for years, so they have been studied. They work by lightly suppressing your immune system, which makes you drowsy. Melatonin is also considered safe in low doses for pregnant women, Dr. Shirazian added, because it already exists in your body.

Key Findings: Antihistamines And Birth Defects

Pregnant woman talking to her doctor about medication use.

In a new CDC study, researchers reviewed more than 50 published scientific articles to see if there was a risk of birth defects from using antihistamines, like allergy medication, during pregnancy. Researchers found the evidence to be generally reassuring: most antihistamines do not appear to be linked to birth defects. However, researchers need to study certain antihistamine medications further to determine if they increase the risk for birth defects. You can read the articles abstract hereexternal icon. Read more below for a summary of the findings from this article.

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Other Morning Sickness Remedies

Although Unisom and vitamin B6 are considered safe, most healthcare providers recommend trying more natural remedies before taking medication for morning sickness. Combining these at-home remedies with Unisom and vitamin B6 can be helpful too. Dr. Simpsons favorite non-pharmacologic remedies for morning sickness include:

Dietary Modification

• Drinking fluids separately from solids

Avoiding Common Nausea Triggers

Possible Associations Between Antihistamines And Birth Defects

Associations between antihistamines taken during the first trimester of pregnancy and certain birth defects include:

• Loratadine : Hypospadias.
• Chlorpheniramine : Eye defects, ear defects, spina bifida, cleft lip, and cleft palate.
• Doxylamine : Cleft lip and cleft palate, pyloric stenosis, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, spina bifida, and neural tube defects.

Nearly 15% of pregnant women report taking an antihistamine during their first trimester.

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Can I Take Unisom While Pregnant For Insomnia

According to FDA’s directives, Unisom is considered safe for pregnant women. The dosage and side effects of medicines vary with each person and only your doctor can advise you on these aspects. However, it is always advisable to speak to the doctor and not self-medicate yourself during pregnancy.

The FDA has created 5 categories of medicines, namely A, B, C, D and X on the basis of safety aspects of these medications in case of pregnant women. Unisom has been placed under the category B by FDA which implies that the medicine is relatively safe for use in pregnant women since it has shown no side effects in animal trials of the medicine. However, classification of Unisom in Category B also means that there have been no conclusive human trials of this medicine to prove that the medicine is perfectly safe for long-term use in pregnant women in the first trimester or beyond.

The first trimester is the period when your baby grows and develops all their important organs. Hence, extreme caution must be adopted during this period to ensure the baby does not suffer from any birth defects due to wrong medications.

How Long Can You Take Unisom And Vitamin B6

You can take Unisom and B6 for as long as you need them to treat your morning sickness, which for most people is throughout their first trimester, as morning sickness symptoms tend to decrease after that. For some people, morning sickness lasts beyond the first trimester, and you may need to continue taking Unisom and vitamin B6 beyond this time.

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Which Unisom Is Best For Morning Sickness

3. If no relief after 4-5 days, try Unisom 25mg by mouth at bedtime and 12.5mg in the morning and in the midafternoon along with Vitamin B6 three times a day. May also increase Vitamin B6 to 50mg at bedtime with 25mg in morning and midafternoon if needed.

Study Of Antihistamines In Pregnancy

A group of researchers from Boston Massachusetts and Singapore sought to determine the safety of antihistamines taken during the first trimester of pregnancy.

The data from this study is extremely encouraging that antihistamines are generally considered safe during pregnancy. The previous associations between antihistamine use during the first trimester and birth defects was not confirmed in this study.

The researchers examined data collected over a 12-year period of time, from 1998 to 2010, on over 13,000 babies born with birth defects, and compared them to nearly 7,000 babies without birth defects. Approximately 14% of all babies had been exposed to various antihistamines the mother took during the first trimester of pregnancy. Some antihistamines, such as Benadryl and Claritin, have increased in pregnancy use over the years, while the use of other antihistamines, such as Chlor-Trimeton and Unisom has decreased.

However, in an attempt to assess the risk of developing other common birth defects, the researchers did find an association between the use of Chlor-Trimeton and any neural tube defect and with various congenital heart malformations. There was also an association between the use of Benadryl and one type of congenital heart malformation . However, the authors are careful to point out that these are only hypotheses that require further study.

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