No matter how careful the expectant mother is, respiratory conditions that cause increased and thickened mucus can still happen. Often, this can make breathing and sleeping difficult. That’s why people turn to medicines, such as fluimucil. But, is fluimucil safe for pregnant women? What about the other medicines like fluimucil? Find out here.
What is Fluimucil?
Fluimucil contains acetylcysteine, a mucolytic or substance that helps break down thick mucus, making them runny, so that the patient can cough them out more easily.
Doctors often give fluimucil to people with bronchitis (inflammation of the mucus membrane in the airways), emphysema, cystic fibrosis, and bronchiectasis.
Fluimucil comes in powder or tablet form, which you need to dissolve in water.
Is Fluimucil Safe For Pregnant Women?
If a pregnant woman experiences thickened mucus, is it safe for her to take fluimucil?
Unfortunately, we don’t have enough data to answer the question: is fluimucil safe for pregnant women?
Results of animal studies show that the medicine doesn’t cause direct or indirect harm to pregnancy or the child at birth and after the delivery.
Because of this, experts recommend that pregnant women avoid fluimucil unless a doctor determines that its benefits outweigh the potential risks.
The same rule holds for breastfeeding mothers since there’s no information about whether or not fluimucil is excreted in breast milk. Depending on the circumstances determined by the physician, the mother might have to discontinue breastfeeding or avoid/discontinue taking Fluimucil.
How About Other Mucolytics
Is fluimucil safe for pregnant women? Generally, expectant mothers might need to avoid fluimucil unless the doctor gives them a prescription for it.
Now, the question is, how about other mucolytics? You see, besides acetylcysteine, ambroxol, carbocysteine, and bromhexine, are also forms of mucolytics. Are they safe when the patient is pregnant?
Bromhexine: Pregnant and lactating mothers need special precautions. Hence, never take any medicine containing bromhexine without the doctor’s approval. Also included in the special precautions are asthma, peptic ulcer, and severe renal and hepatic impairment.
Carbocisteine: Carbocisteine is an even more common mucolytic than fluimucil. However, pregnant and nursing mothers should never take this medication. In fact, reports say you also shouldn’t take it if you’re planning to get pregnant. Other contraindications include allergy to this medication and history of or present stomach ulcer.
Ambroxol: Like carbocisteine, ambroxol is also a common mucolytic, but can pregnant women take it when they have thickened mucus? Reports say it is not safe to take ambroxol in the first trimester. It is also excreted in breast milk, that’s why breastfeeding moms also shouldn’t take ambroxol. Other precautions include allergy to ambroxol or bromhexine and lactose intolerance.
How To Ease Thickened Mucus When You’re Pregnant
Is Fluimucil safe for pregnant women? Apparently, not unless you have supervision from your doctor. The same is true for other mucolytics, like bromhexine, carbocisteine, and ambroxol.
So, how do you ease thickened mucus safely when you’re pregnant? The best course of action is to consult your doctor. That way, you’ll know exactly what’s causing your increased mucus and they can prescribe you safe and effective medicines.
The following tips might also help:
- Increasing fluid intake
- Keeping the air moist. It would be helpful to use a humidifier.
- Expelling phlegm when you cough. Don’t be forceful, though.
- Gargling with warm water and salt
- Increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables.
Key Takeaways
Fluimucil is a mucolytic that helps break down mucus or phlegm, allowing you to expel them more easily. But, is fluimucil safe for pregnant women? Experts say it’s not generally recommended unless the doctor determines that the benefits of taking the medicine outweigh the potential risks.
Learn more about Pregnancy here.
[embed-health-tool-due-date]
