How Much Tylenol Can You Take During Pregnancy?

Acetaminophen (trade name Tylenol) is the preferred medication for pain relief during pregnancy. If you experience cramping, headaches, back pain or other typical pregnancy discomforts, it's healthiest for your unborn baby if you use drug-free pain relief measures, such as relaxation techniques and warm compresses. However, if you absolutely must take something, small amounts of Tylenol is a safe and pregnancy-friendly pain reliever.

Other pain relievers, including NSAIDs, are not appropriate pain relievers during pregnancy. Over-the-counter treatments such as ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin can cause vaginal bleeding and may increase the risk of hemorrhage during labor. They can also alter hormones in the baby's body, causing life-threatening lung problems shortly after birth. Because Tylenol does not cause these problems durning pregnancy, it is the only over-the-counter medication deemed acceptable for expectant moms.

But how much Tylenol can you take during pregnancy? Assuming that you do not have liver disease, are not drinking during pregnancy, and your baby-to-be has not been antenatally diagnosed with any medical condition, you can take 650 milligrams of Tylenol every four hours during pregnancy. The recommended dose is the same for both fever and pain. Do not exceed this dose unless your health care provider explicitly recommends it.

A 650-milligram dose of Tylenol is usually two tablets if you are using a standard-strength form of the drug. Understand that other medications may also contain acetaminophen, and that you should not combine multiple drugs made from the same base ingredient. Stop using Tylenol as soon as your symptoms are tolerable. Tylenol is passed through the placenta and to the unborn baby.

If you take too much Tylenol during pregnancy, there is a possibility that it can harm the baby's developing liver. If you have taken significantly more than the recommended dose, seek emergency medical care to prevent lasting damage to your own body or the baby's. As always, talk to your obstetrician or midwife before using any medication during pregnancy.

Source Used- BabyCenter- Acetominophen and Pregnancy