Tylenol vs Advil in Pregnancy
By Barbara Parker, RN, ARNP, CNM

Q. I have often read that taking tylenol is not too bad to take when pregnant. But I am a loyal Advil fan; I find it works faster and lasts longer for me. I have had a persistent and often painful headache for 2 days and all I have in the house is Advil. Can I take Advil or do I need to go get Tylenol?

A. No advil, sorry. Only tylenol. The reason is that Advil (any type of Ibuprofen) is a prostaglandin inhibitor. Prostaglandin is a chemical that does many things, including cause a valvular problem in the fetal heart. In order to avoid the possibility of that occurring, we advise you to avoid it during pregnancy.

If you like this article, we'd be honored if you shared it using the button below.