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[Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical practitioner. Any medical information is strictly my opinion based on research and personal experience, and not to be taken as advice. Always seek the advice of a licensed physician for your medical needs. Read my full disclaimer here.]
Have you heard the old wives’ tale that Robitussin can help you get pregnant? I know people who swear by it. But is it all a placebo effect…or can Robitussin really help you get pregnant?
The short answers:
—Medical research: Yes, actually, research has shown it to be effective if your fertility issue is poor cervical mucus or you are on Clomid (which will likely make your cervical mucus poor). Read below for more specifics on the studies.
—My experience: It didn’t work for me (tried for 2 cycles)…but I wasn’t on Clomid and I don’t think poor cervical mucus is my issue.
–How to do it: (As with any medication, check with your doctor first — especially if you are taking other medications too!)
Take Robitussin — the one with no letters behind it (that’s IMPORTANT — the ONLY ingredient must be guaifenesin!) — 5 days or so before you expect ovulation day. Take 2 tsp. 3x per day until you ovulate — then stop. Honestly, that kind of Robitussin is extremely difficult to find these days…600 mg Mucinex like this one does the same thing (has guaifenesin only in it). Take as directed on the box — again, 5 days or so before you expect ovulation until ovulation day.
*If you take medicine with other ingredients besides guaifenesin, it may actually dry up your cervical mucus!
Continue reading below if you’re interested in finding out more details (the long answers)…
*Or, click here for more answers to your other TTC questions!
Now, for the long answers…
The medical research
–The ingredient guaifenesin is an expectorant, meaning that it increases fluid (usually the point of that is to loosen mucus in your respiratory tract). Doctors have theorized (and proven, more or less), that it can increase cervical mucus as well. There have been very few studies done on this — but you have likely heard stories of it working for someone!
—In a study (done way back in 1982!) by Check, 80% (8/10) of women whose sole cause of infertility was hostile cervical mucus got pregnant in an average of 2.4 months after beginning treatment. Just 26.6% (8/30) of women who had hostile cervical mucus as well as other fertility issues got pregnant in an average of 5.6 months.
–If you are on Clomid, in another study Check reports that you are likely to experience hostile cervical mucus as an effect of the Clomid (the anti-estrogen properties of it): 69% (40/58) of women on Clomid were found to have hostile cervical mucus. So, you may have that problem and not realize it.
My experience
–I used a Robitussin original and took it as directed above. Although I tried for two cycles, I did not conceive. Again, I have doubts that hostile cervical mucus is a fertility issue for me.
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