Can You Take Tums and Other Antacids During Pregnancy?
Key takeaways:
Tums (calcium carbonate) antacids are safe to take during pregnancy. They can also help you meet your daily calcium requirements.
Ask a healthcare professional before trying other types of antacids. Other over-the-counter (OTC) antacids can be harmful to your unborn baby.
Check in with your healthcare team if Tums don’t seem to be working or if you need to take them for longer than 2 weeks.
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Table of contents
Heartburn is an unwelcome part of up to 45% of the 6 million pregnancies that happen every year in the U.S.
Heartburn is most common later in pregnancy when your growing baby puts pressure on your stomach. The good news is that it’s usually harmless. But, that doesn’t make it any less painful.
If you have questions about what’s safe to take during pregnancy, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that 9 out of 10 women will need to take medication while they’re pregnant — whether it be for heartburn or for another medical condition. In this article, we’ll discuss whether over-the-counter (OTC) antacids, such as Tums (calcium carbonate), are safe to take during pregnancy.
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Are Tums and other antacids safe during pregnancy?
Yes, Tums are safe to take while you’re pregnant.
As a bonus, Tums also add extra calcium to your diet. This may help you meet your higher calcium goal of about 1,000 mg to 1,300 mg per day.
But some health conditions may be affected by the extra calcium from taking Tums. Talk to a healthcare professional before taking Tums if you have a history of kidney disease or kidney stones. They can give you guidance on how to safely treat heartburn or achieve your calcium goals during pregnancy.
How many Tums can you take while pregnant?
Tums is a line of OTC antacids. And each product may have different amounts of calcium carbonate per tablet. Your recommended Tums dosage will depend on what type of Tums you’re taking.
Tums are taken as needed, and you can repeat your dose throughout the day if symptoms return. But pay attention to the maximum daily dosage for pregnancy listed on the OTC label. This varies between Tums products.
Here’s how many Tums you can take while pregnant for a few popular products:
Tums Regular Strength 500: Don’t take more than 10 tablets (5,000 mg) in 24 hours.
Tums Extra Strength 750: Don’t take more than 6 tablets (4,500 mg) in 24 hours.
Tums Ultra Strength 1000: Don’t take more than 5 tablets (5,000 mg) in 24 hours.
Tums Chewy Bites Extra Strength 750: Don’t take more than 6 tablets (4,500 mg) in 24 hours.
Tums Chewy Delights Ultra Strength: Don’t take more than 4 chews (4,708 mg) in 24 hours.
Heartburn stories: Hear from real people — including a woman with pregnancy heartburn — about their experiences with heartburn and how they manage it.
How many Tums can you take? The recommended Tums dosage during pregnancy is different from what you can take when you're not expecting.
Medications to avoid: Several medications are unsafe to take while you’re pregnant. Here are the top ones to steer clear of.
Which antacids should you avoid during pregnancy?
There are differing opinions among healthcare professionals about how much of some antacids are OK to take during pregnancy. Carefully check the OTC label to see what the manufacturer of a particular product recommends.
If you see active ingredients other than calcium carbonate listed, talk to a healthcare professional before taking it. Some antacids may need to be avoided or used cautiously during pregnancy. Below are some common ones to watch out for.
Magnesium
Magnesium is often included in prenatal vitamins. But not all types of magnesium added to medications are the same. If you see magnesium being used as an antacid, it warrants a closer look.
Three different types of magnesium you may come across in antacids include:
Magnesium trisilicate: Long-term use of this kind of magnesium at high doses can harm a fetus, and it isn’t recommended during pregnancy.
Magnesium hydroxide (Milk of Magnesia): This is usually used for constipation, but some people take it for heartburn, too. More information is needed to determine whether it is safe during pregnancy, so it’s best to avoid it unless a healthcare professional tells you to take it.
Magnesium sulfate: Other magnesium compounds added to OTC antacids sometimes contain magnesium sulfate. At high doses, this kind of magnesium can suppress labor contractions. Because of this, some prenatal specialists may advise avoiding any OTC antacid that contains magnesium, especially during the third trimester.
Sodium bicarbonate
Antacids with sodium bicarbonate should be avoided in pregnancy. The high amount of sodium can lead to fluid retention and swelling, which is already a common discomfort in pregnancy. Don’t confuse this with the baking soda that you use for cooking, which is fine to ingest if used as part of a recipe.
Aluminum
No need to shy away from using aluminum cans or foil. But avoid taking antacids that contain aluminum. It can cause constipation, and at high doses, it can lower the amount of calcium in your body. Aluminum isn’t considered safe during pregnancy.
Aspirin
Aspirin isn’t an antacid, but it’s worth mentioning. It can sometimes be found in OTC heartburn treatments, such as Alka-Seltzer. Avoid taking aspirin while pregnant unless instructed to do so by a healthcare professional. Aspirin can reduce the amount of amniotic fluid (the fluid that surrounds a fetus inside the uterus). It can also lead to serious kidney damage in unborn babies.
Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate)
Pepto-Bismol is a popular choice to treat a range of stomach problems, from indigestion to diarrhea. But this iconic pink medication shouldn’t be used during pregnancy. The active ingredient, bismuth subsalicylate, is closely related to aspirin.
Are other heartburn medicines safe during pregnancy?
Talk with your healthcare team before taking other types of OTC medications to treat heartburn. Some OTC options can go through the placenta and reach the baby. Other medications don’t have as many studies backing up their safety in pregnancy.
Tums should usually be tried first before moving on to other medications. But if Tums don’t seem to be helping enough, your healthcare team can help you weigh the risks and benefits. Studies suggest that histamine-2 antagonists (like famotidine) and proton pump inhibitors (like lansoprazole) can be used safely with guidance from a healthcare professional.
What are the safest ways to deal with heartburn and reflux during pregnancy?
The best way to treat pregnancy heartburn is to prevent it. Here are some tips to help you avoid it:
Avoid common triggers like caffeine, spicy foods, and greasy foods.
Eat several small meals throughout the day instead of three large ones.
Avoid acidic foods like citrus juices and tomatoes.
Wait at least 2 to 3 hours after eating before you go to bed.
Wear clothing that fits loosely to help relieve pressure on your stomach.
Raise the head of your bed by about 4 to 6 inches to help acid better stay in your stomach.
When should you see a healthcare professional about heartburn or reflux during pregnancy?
Check in with your healthcare team if Tums don’t seem to be helping. You should also reach out to them if you need to use Tums frequently for more than 2 weeks.
Talk to a healthcare professional if you have any of these other symptoms with your heartburn:
Weight loss
Pain or cramps in your lower belly, side, or back
Severe diarrhea that doesn’t go away
New or worsening nausea or vomiting
Fever
Trouble swallowing
Blood in your stool or stools that are very dark
Frequently asked questions
Talk to a healthcare professional before taking Pepcid (famotidine) while pregnant. So far, studies haven’t linked Pepcid with any risks to a developing fetus. But there aren’t many studies available to base this information on. So we still only have a limited picture of Pepcid’s safety during pregnancy.
The extra calcium from calcium carbonate antacids like Tums can sometimes cause gas, bloating, or constipation. These antacids can also affect how well you absorb other medications, like iron supplements. Ask your pharmacist to check for interactions and space calcium carbonate antacids 1 to 2 hours apart from other medications when needed.
It’s possible. Tums work by neutralizing stomach acid. This may help with the mild nausea and upset stomach that sometimes comes along with heartburn. But pregnancy nausea (morning sickness) is thought to be caused by hormonal changes rather than excess stomach acid. So you may need different medications to help with this type of nausea.
The bottom line
When it comes to treating heartburn during pregnancy, Tums (calcium carbonate) are the preferred medication option. Tums are safe to use during pregnancy, as long as you stay within the maximum daily dosages listed on the package. Ask a healthcare professional before taking other types of over-the-counter heartburn medications. And be sure to contact your prenatal care team if your heartburn symptoms are severe or last longer than 2 weeks.
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References
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