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.