Tums is chewable medicine that is used to treat symptoms caused by too much acidity, such as heartburn, upset stomach, or indigestion. Tums are widely used by people all over the world to alleviate these symptoms. However, there has been some debate over whether or not they are safe for women to consume when pregnant. For the most part, yes, they are quite safe, but there also have been some concerns associated with excessive consumption of Tums. In this article we will examine both, the benefits as well as side effects of consuming Tums during pregnancy.
Tums is a widely used medication, It is pretty simple to use and a bottle of these chewable tablets can probably be found in every household across the country. These come in different flavours such as peppermint, fruit, berries, and smoothies. Tums is also widely used by another section: pregnant women, since heartburn is very common during pregnancy. But is it safe to consume Tums during pregnancy? Let’s find out.
Heartburn becomes quite frequent once a woman becomes pregnant. While it is understandable that she starts looking for medication to alleviate the pain and discomfort associated with that, it is essential that she keep in mind that the medication doesn’t hurt the unborn baby. But sometimes it may not be possible to do that, if the pain is too severe or if she’s experiencing extreme discomfort. If the discomfort is severe, she might be forced to take any medication to get rid of it. It effects on the baby may not be the first thing on her mind. Tums, being the wildly famous over-the-counter medicine to treat acidity and indigestion, may be the first that comes to her mind. Therefore, we need to determine if it is safe for a pregnant woman to use Tums during her pregnancy.
Is It Safe to Take Tums During Pregnancy?
Tums as an antacid is intended to treat just acidity and related pain and discomfort. It wasn’t and isn’t manufactured keeping in mind the needs of pregnant women. You might have found Tums to be very effective during your non-pregnancy days, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is okay to take this medication now. Since your body is undergoing so many changes, please consult your doctor before taking any medication for any condition, even if you used to take it before you got pregnant. Tums was not created for pregnant women, so there is no way to tell for sure if it will work on the needs of pregnant women.
Here are some things you should keep in mind while considering taking Tums during pregnancy:
- Tums, even when taken during pregnancy, will give you immediate relief from heartburn caused by acidity. While there are no reports to confirm that there aren’t any side effects of Tums on pregnancy, it is not a generally harmful medicine and should not affect your baby at all.
- These contains calcium. Calcium is a nutrient that pregnant women need dollops of. Therefore, there is a chance that taking Tums during pregnancy might actually help you in more ways than just reducing symptoms of acidity.
- When taking Tums during pregnancy, make sure you take it separately from your iron supplements. Don’t take them both at the same time; try to keep a gap of at least one or two hours between your iron supplements and the time when you take Tums, so that you will get the maximum amount of benefit from both.
Watch Video: Tums during pregnancy: Is It safe?
For the latest videos, please subscribe to our channel: parenting healthy babies
Here are some things you need to be careful about, if you do take Tums when pregnant:
- While talking to your doctor about taking Tums, make sure you get the dosage right. There is a good chance that the dosage you need to take now is different from the dosage you would have taken when not pregnant. Try to keep track of how many tablets you should take in a day, and do not exceed the dosage under any circumstance. Always consult your doctor for any change that you might want to make, for example, if you’re feeling like the medicine isn’t really working.
- Now that you know these has a large amount of calcium in it, do not start thinking of it as a sort of calcium supplement, because it isn’t. Upping the dosage of it during your pregnancy because your body requires more calcium will do more harm than good. Instead, focus on adding more calcium rich foods to your diet. If your body is still falling short on calcium, get your doctor to prescribe some calcium supplements.
- Tums is a serious no-no for anyone with kidney problems. Even if you don’t have any kidney problems but have been placed on high risk for chances of developing them, you must stay away from Tums. This is because the calcium present in Tums could lead to stones forming in your kidneys.
- Tums could possibly lead to teratogenicity. If taken in the first trimester, it could potentially lead to a condition known as teratogenicity (chances of the child developing abnormalities in the womb).
Additionally, Tums could also cause the following side effects during pregnancy:
There are clearly both benefits as well as side effects of consuming Tums during pregnancy. It is an especially sensitive subject, since you have to be careful about not just your health, but your child’s, too. Therefore, before consuming Tums, always consult your physician and go ahead only if he/she says it’s completely safe to. Also, stick to the recommended dosage. Have a happy and safe pregnancy.
References:
https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-56477/tums-anti-gas-antacid-oral/details
