Perhaps Mucinex's mascot Must have a stork?
Women took to social media claiming that by taking Mucinex, A popular medicine for colds and fluhas helped her get pregnant.
“I took Mucinex 30 minutes before baby-dancing,” TikTok user Amanda McGibbon shared in March. He said he also took Antioxidant supplement CoQ10 and the antidiabetic drug metformin polycystic ovary syndrome while trying to conceive – and she's due to deliver in October.
“We're pregnant, and I'm 35 and have been trying for two years,” another TikTok user declaredwho said that he Mucinex 12-Hour Tablets 15 minutes before intercourse during her fertile period.
Guaifenesin, the active ingredient in Mucinex, thins mucus to relieve chest congestion. But there is no scientific evidence that it also thins cervical mucus, making it easier for sperm to pass through the cervix and reach and fertilize an egg.
“When we actually look at the data and the studies that have been done on Mucinex and fertility, we know that it has not significantly improved the quality of cervical mucus, which, again, could help somewhat with the motility of the sperm reaching the egg,” board-certified OB-GYN Dr. Jessica Shepherd told This week on “Good Morning America”,
“While this is also something that women can try on their own, there is no solid data to say that it will significantly increase the chances of fertility,” he added.
In pursuit of the Mucinex pregnancy theory, Dr. Karen Tang explained A 1982 study reported that nearly half of 40 couples struggling with infertility experienced a “significant” improvement in sperm motility after taking guaifenesin.
But Tang, the Pennsylvania gynecological surgeon, pointed out that no placebo group was available for comparison.
“This effect could be a random coincidence,” he explained in a TikTok in April. “And that's why we don't give Mucinex to people trying to get pregnant because we can't really say that it actually works.”
Still, Tang said anecdotal reports of women becoming pregnant after using it should spur more research on it.
Meanwhile, the manufacturer of Mucinex said the drug should only be used as directed.
“Taking Mucinex for infertility is an off-label use,” British consumer goods company Reckitt told “GMA” in a statement.
“Taking any medicine other than its approved indications or without knowing all active ingredients may be harmful,” the statement added. “If in doubt, we recommend women discuss with their health care professional. Please always read labels and safety information before taking any self-care medicine.”
Side effects of guaifenesin include dizziness, constipation, headache, fatigue, and rash. According to the Cleveland Clinic,
The US Food and Drug Administration approved it for use in over-the-counter medications decades ago.
