Can Mucinex Help You Get Pregnant?

When trying to conceive, it is important to understand the various ways to increase the odds of success. Although some methods may seem unconventional, it is important to consider all avenues when pursuing a path to pregnancy. Mucinex is one of the newer methods of enhancing fertility that has been gaining traction in the medical community. While there is not a comprehensive body of scientific research to support this method, some preliminary studies have shown that using Mucinex can help to increase fertility and aid in conception. In this blog post, we will discuss the potential benefits and drawbacks of using Mucinex to get pregnant, and explore the research that has been done in the area. We will also provide advice on how to effectively use Mucinex, and provide insight into potential risks and side effects. With the right information and guidance, we hope to help make the journey to pregnancy a more informed and successful one.

Why do people think Mucinex makes cervical mucus more fertile? Recapping the study on guaifenesin

Sometimes it’s hard to trace the roots of ideas in science. Luckily, this is not one of those times. All articles that reference any sort of scientific data supporting a relationship between cough syrup and fertility point to a single study, published in 1982:

Researchers tested the effect of taking guaifenesin (the main ingredient in medicine like Mucinex and Robitussin) during the fertile window and its impact on cervical mucus in opposite-sex couples that hadn’t gotten pregnant after 10 months of trying.

They examined the cervix and cervical mucus two hours after sex, and looked at sperm motility as their main marker of “cervical mucus quality.” (If it seems strange to you that they looked at just one sperm-related variable to understand cervical mucus quality, you’re in good company.)

They found that “cervical mucus quality” significantly increased in 58% of the couples; slight or no improvements were observed among the rest. In 10 couples where infertility could be tied to cervical mucus (i.e., they couldn’t find any other issues), eight got pregnant after an average of 2.4 months on guaifenesin.

Sounds awesome, right? Not so fast. It is very challenging to confidently assert that there is any real effect because of some serious flaws in this study:

Most importantly, there was no control group — meaning all study participants took guaifenesin. It’s entirely possible that the same rates of “cervical mucus quality” improvement and pregnancy would be observed among people not taking the drug, and if so, we’d conclude that the drug doesn’t have a meaningful effect on chances of conception. Without a control group, it’s impossible to estimate the added benefit of any sort of medication or intervention.

This study also only focused on infertile couples and very few people were included in the study. A small sample and a specific cohort (infertile couples) means we cannot be confident we’d find the same thing in the general population.

Based on our (very thorough!) search, there have been no published attempts to replicate the effect of cough syrup on conception or cervical mucus quality. And it’s not like Mucinex has any secret data on this that does show a relationship — they’ve gone on record saying that they don’t have any data on Mucinex and fertility or cervical mucus, and that they don’t recommend its use for this purpose. This means any “scientific” claims of cough syrup improving fertility are based on a single, small, methodologically flawed study done almost 40 years ago.

Can Mucinex Help You Get Pregnant?

My third pregnancy, which took six months to happen, couldn’t have happened sooner. Prior to that, I had a second-trimester miscarriage with twins, and even though you can’t get back what you lost, my husband and I were determined to grow our family. I therefore decided to try Mucinex when a friend suggested it after months of trying to get pregnant.

You take Mucinex while you are ovulating because the medication thins out your cervical mucus and makes it simpler for your partner’s sperm to reach your egg, according to my friend Sarah, who adamantly claims that this is how she became pregnant with her second child. I took a sip one morning when I knew I was ovulating because I reasoned that it couldn’t hurt and we already had some at home. Two weeks later, I had a positive pregnancy test.

It appears that other people besides Sarah and I have tried this. Areashia Bailey, a TikTok user, recently gained popularity for praising using Mucinex to become pregnant. Using a test to determine when they are ovulating, Bailey advises readers to “start Mucinex and having sex 10-15 minutes after taking it.” Then she says, “Do this for seven days straight.” Wait two weeks after the seventh day to conduct a pregnancy test, she advises.

Many people mentioned in the comments that this hack made it easier for them to get pregnant. One person commented, “My Mucinex baby will be here next week,” Another said, “After trying for over a year, I just got my positive after starting it last month on ovulation!”

Another person added, “Any drug that thins mucus will work! I have two Robitussin babies. “.

Although it seems completely random, many people vouch for this fertility trick. (To be honest, I don’t know what to make of my own experience; it’s entirely possible that it was just a complete coincidence. ).

Doctors explain whether it is true that taking Mucinex when you ovulate will increase your chances of becoming pregnant.

Mucinex is a medication thats designed to help with a cough and congestion. While there are different types of Mucinex, the companys website says its products typically contain one or both of the following ingredients.

Guaifenesin: this is an expectorant that loosens and thins excess mucus

Dextromethorphan HBr: this ingredient helps to suppress your coughing reflex

The ingredient in question for fertility is guaifenesin, according to Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University. The exact way it works on the body is “unclear,” she says, adding that “it does appear to thin mucus.”

TikTok user @juliasendojourney recently went viral after revealing that Mucinex can help you get pregnant:

DOES MUCINEX IMPROVE FERTILITY?