Is It Safe To Take Tums During Pregnancy For Nausea And Heartburn?

Muhammad Usman Babar
3 min readJun 12, 2021

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Is It Safe To Take Tums During Pregnancy For Nausea And Heartburn?
Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

In their third trimester, more than 80% of pregnant women experience heartburn. The discomfort of heartburn requires professional care, even though it is harmless. The generic antacid Tums may help treat heartburn. You can find KidsRush.com’s guide to whether taking Tums during pregnancy is safe. KidsRush.com discusses how it could help you as well as some of the tums’ side effects.

In addition to calcium carbonate and sucrose (sugar), Tums also contains sodium bicarbonate. GlaxoSmithKline manufactures a specific variety of antacid under this name. Drugs are commonly found on the shelves of most retail stores in the US over-the-counter (OTC).

Patients who suffer from heartburn, indigestion, gas, acid reflux, bloating, and upset stomach can get immediate relief from Tums, a prescription drug. In addition to chewable tablets, the medication is available in different flavors.

Definitely, the potential benefits of using Tums outweigh any possible risks during pregnancy. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, medicine is classified under category C drugs, which means that animal studies suggest adverse effects upon fetuses, but there has been no testing of the drug on humans.

Tums During Pregnancy: Side Effects

Tums are unlikely to cause any side effects while pregnant, unlike certain other medications. The list is as follows:

Tums can be taken during pregnancy as long as you are cautious and mindful of certain things.

In case of kidney disease or parathyroid disorders, you shouldn’t take Tums. Tums might cause kidney stones and calcium imbalance in the body because it contains high calcium levels.

If you want to prevent side effects, you should ask your doctor what dosage is appropriate. The dosage should not be exceeded.

In pregnancy, Tums shouldn’t be taken as a calcium supplement. Doing so could increase your calcium intake.

If you suffer from heartburn, it is recommended that you take two to four Tums every two hours. Still, antacids should not be taken without consulting your doctor first. You need to take antacids two hours apart to have the maximum benefits from both medications.

What are the benefits of Tums during pregnancy?

If you suffer from acidity-related heartburn, your doctor might prescribe you this medicine. The first line of treatment for heartburn during pregnancy typically consists of antacids containing calcium and magnesium. Taking Tums while pregnant will also provide you with an extra dose of calcium since it is a good source of calcium.

It is also possible for calcium to reduce the risk of hypertensive disorders and preeclampsia by preventing lead absorption in bones.

You may be adversely affected if you use the medicine excessively. Following that, we will discuss some of the commonly asked questions about taking Tums while pregnant.

There is an antacid brand called Eno Tums, and it works similarly to Eno Tums.

Rolaids, Maalox, Pepcid, and Zantac are examples of other antacids you may consider taking. Before taking any of these medications, talk to your healthcare provider. Additionally to medication, eating smaller meals, avoiding spicy and acidic foods, and drinking water and unsweetened coconut water can reduce heartburn as well.

Since no studies are showing negative effects from taking both Tums and Zofran together, they can be taken together. For nausea and morning sickness, Zofran is a better choice than Tums for heartburn.

In the case of nausea, which is likely to accompany heartburn or an upset stomach, Tums may be helpful.

Excessive Tums consumption can indeed raise calcium levels in the body (hypercalcemia), which has been associated with complications for the fetus, the mother, and the newborn.

Making some smart dietary and lifestyle changes can help you avoid heartburn during pregnancy. A healthy diet should be based on small meals, frequent intervals of eating, plenty of fluids, and avoiding eating as close to bedtime as possible.

Tums can help you with pregnancy nausea. Have you used it? Post your comments below to let us know how it went.

Originally published at https://kidsrush.com on June 12, 2021.

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