# Imodium during pregnancy



## Casey L.

Is it really safe for baby? I have heard that it is and then I have heard to take only if absolutely necessary. It is not on my dr's list of safe OTC meds. My IBS was doing ok but now at 26 weeks it has come back. I usually just deal with the D, but we are going on a short trip with my IL's and don't want to suffer. I'd like to take it beforehand to hopefully ward off an attack of D like I used to do before I became pregnant. Has anyone taken it during pregnancy and all was fine? I had a very difficult time getting pregnant and I'm reluctant to do anything that might possibly hurt my baby, but I want to be able to enjoy myself, if possible, and not worry about getting D. Any ideas?


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## selenae25

My doc told me I could take it but you should call and ask. I only took it when absolutly necessary and if I really had to go somewhere where there would not be bathrooms etc. I'm sure you can call and ask your doc without having an appointment and then you can feel safe about if you need to take it or not. I hope you feel better soon, my doc said that the farther along you get the better the d gets because your digestive system slows way down from the baby taking up all the room. Good luck on your trip.


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## catherine monahan

Hi Casey L,My partner and I are trying for a baby and while in London I had a bad attack. I asked the same question before I bought imodium to a qualified person (lovely lady she asked all the right questions who would figure better than some doc's) made sure by looking it up too said no way but to take fibregel it goes straight to the bowel and doesn't get absorbed by the baby if I was pregnant.C


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## Kathleen M.

> quote:Teratogenic Effects: Pregnancy Category B: Reproduction studies in rats and rabbits have revealed no evidence of impaired fertility or harm to the fetus at doses up to 30 times the human dose. Higher doses impaired the survival of mothers and nursing young. The studies offered no evidence of teratogenic activity. There are, however, no adequate and well controlled studies in pregnant women. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, this drug should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.


With my background in this sort of thing here is my take on it.We can't be absolutely sure that it is completely safe for pregnant woman, we do not have that data to be that sure.On the other hand, it seems that in the animal studies it only hurts the babies when at a dose it is toxic to the mother, which is usually a good sign that it is fairly safe.Very little imodium leaves the gut. That is why it is Over the Counter. Other meds that are similar are kept on prescription because enough of the drug gets out of the gut to affect the Central Nervous System. (It is an opiate like codiene). I know in humans the dose of imodium you need to get Central Nervous System effects (so the dose that would probably get to the baby in significant amounts to do anything) is typically very high. There is one case of an opiate addict who used Imodium, and it took something like a few dozen pills to get him any effect.So my take, if you do not need it, avoid it whenever possible. But if you really need it, of the OTC antidiarrheals it is probably the safest to use.I believe Pepto Bismol (or other Bismuth containing antidiarrheals) are definitely a big no no. I think that has potentially toxic effects at doses people normally take...so Imodium seems to be a much lower risk.K.


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## Kathleen M.

Ok...looked up Pepto..Seems the salicylate side of the drug is more the issue, but unlike Imodium there is an increase in birth defects in animals that are given it. (which makes it pregnancy code C rather than







.The salicylate side is like asprin so can increase bleeding which can be dangerous especially near the end of pregnancy when you don't want to do anything that increases the risk of bleeding during delivery.Pregnancy codes (as I remember them).A-we tested it in pregnant humans and it is safe.B-we tested it in animals and saw no problems at doses safe for the Mom.C-we tested it in animals and saw problems at doses safe for the MomX-we know it causes birth defects when humans take it.K.


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## Casey L.

Thanks for the responses ladies. I had a pharmacist tell me it was ok to take since it's a category B - also Kaopectate. However, I don't think I will risk it. C, I have taken fiber pills in the past for D, but with the huge amounts of water I drink, I would be afraid this would cause more D.


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## chall

my doct told me it was safe to take pepto.. after reading this thread i'm going to have to go back and have words with him.. thanks for the heads up on that


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## catherine monahan

A big thanks to K for all info very gratefully received. C


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## Melkatcar

When I was pregnant I kept getting conflicting information. First, Immodium was safe then it wasn't. Pepto was safe then it wasn't. The last I was told was to take Kaopectate but with those with IBS know it doesn't work so not worth taking. I suffered with IBS non stop with both pregnancies and it was just a matter of dealing with it. Dr's told me prior to the pregnancies that I most likely would get a break from the IBS symptoms but no such luck.


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