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Trying to conceive can be challenging for many couples as fertility problems are on the rise at present. There are a lot of women who have noticed that taking a specific kind of cough syrup around the time of ovulation can help them conceive. Although there is not enough documented scientific proof of this, several doctors do agree that taking cough syrup containing guaifenesin may help women get pregnant.
Does Cough Syrup Increase Your Fertility
If you are wondering, can cough syrup help you get pregnant, the answer is yes – in certain instances. Some cough syrups contain guaifenesin which comes from the bark of the guaiacum tree found in the Caribbean. Guaifenesin is an ‘expectorant’. This means that it thins out the mucus in the lungs and airways so that we may bring up the phlegm and spit it out when we have a respiratory infection or a cough.
Guaifenesin also affects cervical mucus in women and makes it thinner and wetter. This enables sperms to swim faster through the cervical mucus to reach the egg and fertilize it. This was noticed by women in the 1980s, and a study was conducted by a doctor named Jerome Check with a sample group of 40 couples who were trying to conceive. Dr Check discovered that 23 of those women had thinner cervical mucus after taking 200 mg of guaifenesin thrice a day. Out of these couples, 15 were able to conceive during this test.
Thus, it was found that taking cough syrup containing guaifenesin helps increase the fertility of women by thinning the cervical mucus.
How to Know if Your Cervical Mucus is Dry or Wet
In order to determine whether your cervical mucus is dry or wet, you will need to undergo post-coital fertility tests. A doctor will examine samples of your cervical mucus after you have had sexual intercourse with your partner. Thick or dry cervical mucus makes it tougher for sperm to swim through and reach the egg for fertilization. When the cervical mucus is thin and wet, sperm can swim quickly through it and successfully fertilize the egg.
What cough syrup helps you get pregnant? If you are having problems trying to conceive and your doctor has found that your cervical mucus is thick and dry, taking guaifenesin cough syrup can help you become pregnant. The guaifenesin thins out cervical mucus, making it easy for sperms to get through it and reach the egg faster.
When to Take Cough Syrup While You’re Trying to Get Pregnant
Cough syrup with guaifenesin should be taken around the time of ovulation if you are trying to become pregnant and want your cervical mucus to be thinner. By monitoring your basal body temperature and using an ovulation test kit available in pharmacies, you can determine the exact time of ovulation. Once you know when you are ovulating, you can take the cough syrup around that time to help increase your fertility.
How Much Cough Syrup is Recommended
Although you may feel like taking more cough syrup, it is harmful to exceed the recommended dosage of medication. It is best to take two teaspoons of guaifenesin cough syrup thrice a day around the time of ovulation in order to increase your chances of getting pregnant.
Are There Any Other Ways to Improve the Consistency and Texture of Cervical Mucus
Although using cough syrup to get pregnant has gained popularity, there is no proper scientific study that proves this definitively. There are other ways to alter the consistency of cervical mucus to make it easier for sperm to get through the birth canal and reach the egg for fertilization. Your doctor can recommend lubricants specifically made for couples who are trying to conceive. These lubricants will not kill the sperm or reduce their motility and may increase your chances of getting pregnant.
Apart from the single study by a doctor in 1982, there has been no further scientific research on whether guaifenesin cough syrup can actually increase your chances of getting pregnant. There is only anecdotal proof that cough syrup can help couples get pregnant. Talk to an obstetrician before taking any medication while trying to conceive.
If you are taking cough syrup, you should ensure that it does not contain antihistamines, which will actually dry your cervical mucus and make it tougher for you to conceive. Avoid exceeding the recommended dosage of cough syrup. Avoid medication without consulting a doctor. Talk to an obstetrician first if you have been trying to get pregnant unsuccessfully for over 10 months.
