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.

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.