Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUsesBenefits in PregnancyDosageRisk of Birth DefectsAlternatives
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Uses
Benefits in Pregnancy
Dosage
Risk of Birth Defects
Alternatives
Unisom, an over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aid and antihistamine, is sometimes used to treat morning sickness in pregnancy. It’s considered safe, and taking Unisom during pregnancy is not believed to increase the risk of birth defects.
Some researchers have suggested that babies may be born withcongenital disordersif they’re exposed to the active ingredients in Unisom during the first trimester. However, those findings have been criticized as inaccurate and the use of Unisom is generally believed to not increase the risk of birth defects.
You should talk to your healthcare provider about any additional risk factors and concerns before using Unisom.
fizkes / Getty Images
What Is Unisom?
Unisom belongs to a class of drugs calledantihistamines, which are primarily used to treat allergy symptoms.
Both these ingredients are first-generation antihistamines, which means they blockhistamine(a substance in the body that triggers allergy symptoms) while also causing marked drowsiness.This makes Unisom a popular sleep aid and is most often used to treat short-terminsomnia(difficulty getting or staying asleep).
These antihistamines also block receptors in thebrainstem(the part of the brain that induces vomiting) andvestibular system(the part of the inner ear that helps maintain equilibrium and balance) to relieve nausea, vomiting, andmotion sickness.
Unisom Benefits in Pregnancy
The effectiveness of Unisom as a sleep aid and anti-nausea treatment makes it a common go-to medication during pregnancy whenpoor-quality sleepand nausea with or without vomiting are common.
Insomnia
Difficulty falling or staying asleep is very common during pregnancy.Physical discomfort, emotional stress, and hormonal changes can all impact the quality of a good night’s rest. By blocking histamines in the brain, allergy medications like Unisom help you get to sleep and reduce the chances you will wake up during the night.
Morning Sickness
By suppressing the pathways that trigger nausea and vomiting, doxylamine and diphenhydramine have been shown to easemorning sicknesssymptoms.
Doxylamine can also be combined with vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) to treat morning sickness. Although the connection between B6 and nausea is poorly understood, lowpyridoxinelevels are common in early pregnancy and supplements seem to ease morning sickness.
Your healthcare provider may recommend Unisom SleepTabs and B6 as an off-label use for easing nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. The combined medications are especially helpful if you experience persistent nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, known ashyperemesis gravidarum.
Recommended Dosage
During pregnancy, it’s generally considered safe to take the typical adult dose.Never take more than one dose of Unisom within a 24-hour period.
You may also take a 20-mg dose of a vitamin B6 supplement with Unisom SleepTabs.
Risk of Birth Defects With Unisom
Some studies have suggested that taking antihistamines during the first trimester could increase the risk of birth defects, such as:
However, these findings have been criticized as flawed compared with more specific studies and when considered in light of the benefits of doxylamine and diphenhydramine over similar medications.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), it is also safe to take Unisom and vitamin B6 to treat symptoms of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
When to See a Healthcare ProviderCall your healthcare provider immediately if you experience severe side effects while taking Unisom, such as blurry vision or difficulty urinating,If you have overdosed on Unisom, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 even if you have no symptoms.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Call your healthcare provider immediately if you experience severe side effects while taking Unisom, such as blurry vision or difficulty urinating,If you have overdosed on Unisom, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 even if you have no symptoms.
Call your healthcare provider immediately if you experience severe side effects while taking Unisom, such as blurry vision or difficulty urinating,
If you have overdosed on Unisom, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 even if you have no symptoms.
Alternatives to Unisom
One antihistamine medication is approved specifically for pregnancy-related nausea.
If you’d rather not take an antihistamine while pregnant, several alternatives may help whether you have insomnia or morning sickness.
Many of the same lifestyle practices used to treat insomnia in people who are not pregnant can help you during pregnancy. There are also a few that are particularly useful while expecting.
Among the recommended interventions:
Morning sickness usually lasts a short period early in pregnancy, but it can make life difficult. To manage the symptoms try some lifestyle changes:
When to Get Help for Morning SicknessIf you’re pregnant, see your healthcare provider right away if you have severe nausea and vomiting. You may have hyperemesis gravidarum.If left untreated, hyperemesis gravidarum can lead to complications like severedehydration,electrolyte imbalances,acidosis(high blood acid), andcardiac arrhythmia(irregular heartbeats).
When to Get Help for Morning Sickness
If you’re pregnant, see your healthcare provider right away if you have severe nausea and vomiting. You may have hyperemesis gravidarum.If left untreated, hyperemesis gravidarum can lead to complications like severedehydration,electrolyte imbalances,acidosis(high blood acid), andcardiac arrhythmia(irregular heartbeats).
If you’re pregnant, see your healthcare provider right away if you have severe nausea and vomiting. You may have hyperemesis gravidarum.
If left untreated, hyperemesis gravidarum can lead to complications like severedehydration,electrolyte imbalances,acidosis(high blood acid), andcardiac arrhythmia(irregular heartbeats).
Summary
Unisom is an over-the-counter medication used to treat short-term insomnia. Some people use Unisom during pregnancy to help them fall or stay asleep. It may also be used in combination with vitamin B6 to treat morning sickness.
It is generally safe to take the recommended adult dosage of Unisom during pregnancy. According to the FDA, the risk of birth defects and other pregnancy complications is low. There are other ways to manage morning sickness, though, if you want to avoid medication.
14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Morning sickness: nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.MedlinePlus.Doxylamine.Sanger GJ, Andrews PLR.A history of drug discovery for treatment of nausea and vomiting and the implications for future research.Front Pharmacol.2018;9:913. doi:10.3389/fphar.2018.00913Reichner CA.Insomnia and sleep deficiency in pregnancy.Obstet Med. 2015;8(4):168-171. doi:10.1177/1753495X15600572Lie JD, Tu KN, Shen DD, Wong BM.Pharmacological Treatment of Insomnia.P T. 2015;40(11):759-771.Duchesnay USA, Inc.Diclegis - doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride tablet, delayed release.Liu C, Zhao G, Qiao D, et al.Emerging progress in nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum: challenges and opportunities.Front Med (Lausanne).2021;8:809270. doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.809270MedlinePlus.Hyperemesis gravidarum.Unisom.com.Unisom.National Institutes of Health.Vitamin B6: fact sheet for health professionals.Bérard A, Sheehy O, Gorgui J, Zhao JP, Soares de Moura C, Bernatsky S.New evidence for concern over the risk of birth defects from medications for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.J Clin Epidemiol. 2019;116:39-48. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2019.07.014Panchaud A, Cleary B, Weber-Schoendorfer C, et al.The risk of questioning the safety of drugs considered safe in pregnancy at the era of big data: the everlasting case of doxylamine.J Clin Epidemiol. 2022;152:125-126. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2022.10.007Unisom.Frequently asked questions.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Restless legs syndrome.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Morning sickness: nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.MedlinePlus.Doxylamine.Sanger GJ, Andrews PLR.A history of drug discovery for treatment of nausea and vomiting and the implications for future research.Front Pharmacol.2018;9:913. doi:10.3389/fphar.2018.00913Reichner CA.Insomnia and sleep deficiency in pregnancy.Obstet Med. 2015;8(4):168-171. doi:10.1177/1753495X15600572Lie JD, Tu KN, Shen DD, Wong BM.Pharmacological Treatment of Insomnia.P T. 2015;40(11):759-771.Duchesnay USA, Inc.Diclegis - doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride tablet, delayed release.Liu C, Zhao G, Qiao D, et al.Emerging progress in nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum: challenges and opportunities.Front Med (Lausanne).2021;8:809270. doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.809270MedlinePlus.Hyperemesis gravidarum.Unisom.com.Unisom.National Institutes of Health.Vitamin B6: fact sheet for health professionals.Bérard A, Sheehy O, Gorgui J, Zhao JP, Soares de Moura C, Bernatsky S.New evidence for concern over the risk of birth defects from medications for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.J Clin Epidemiol. 2019;116:39-48. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2019.07.014Panchaud A, Cleary B, Weber-Schoendorfer C, et al.The risk of questioning the safety of drugs considered safe in pregnancy at the era of big data: the everlasting case of doxylamine.J Clin Epidemiol. 2022;152:125-126. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2022.10.007Unisom.Frequently asked questions.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Restless legs syndrome.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Morning sickness: nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.MedlinePlus.Doxylamine.Sanger GJ, Andrews PLR.A history of drug discovery for treatment of nausea and vomiting and the implications for future research.Front Pharmacol.2018;9:913. doi:10.3389/fphar.2018.00913Reichner CA.Insomnia and sleep deficiency in pregnancy.Obstet Med. 2015;8(4):168-171. doi:10.1177/1753495X15600572Lie JD, Tu KN, Shen DD, Wong BM.Pharmacological Treatment of Insomnia.P T. 2015;40(11):759-771.Duchesnay USA, Inc.Diclegis - doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride tablet, delayed release.Liu C, Zhao G, Qiao D, et al.Emerging progress in nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum: challenges and opportunities.Front Med (Lausanne).2021;8:809270. doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.809270MedlinePlus.Hyperemesis gravidarum.Unisom.com.Unisom.National Institutes of Health.Vitamin B6: fact sheet for health professionals.Bérard A, Sheehy O, Gorgui J, Zhao JP, Soares de Moura C, Bernatsky S.New evidence for concern over the risk of birth defects from medications for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.J Clin Epidemiol. 2019;116:39-48. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2019.07.014Panchaud A, Cleary B, Weber-Schoendorfer C, et al.The risk of questioning the safety of drugs considered safe in pregnancy at the era of big data: the everlasting case of doxylamine.J Clin Epidemiol. 2022;152:125-126. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2022.10.007Unisom.Frequently asked questions.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Restless legs syndrome.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Morning sickness: nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
MedlinePlus.Doxylamine.
Sanger GJ, Andrews PLR.A history of drug discovery for treatment of nausea and vomiting and the implications for future research.Front Pharmacol.2018;9:913. doi:10.3389/fphar.2018.00913
Reichner CA.Insomnia and sleep deficiency in pregnancy.Obstet Med. 2015;8(4):168-171. doi:10.1177/1753495X15600572
Lie JD, Tu KN, Shen DD, Wong BM.Pharmacological Treatment of Insomnia.P T. 2015;40(11):759-771.
Duchesnay USA, Inc.Diclegis - doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride tablet, delayed release.
Liu C, Zhao G, Qiao D, et al.Emerging progress in nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum: challenges and opportunities.Front Med (Lausanne).2021;8:809270. doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.809270
MedlinePlus.Hyperemesis gravidarum.
Unisom.com.Unisom.
National Institutes of Health.Vitamin B6: fact sheet for health professionals.
Bérard A, Sheehy O, Gorgui J, Zhao JP, Soares de Moura C, Bernatsky S.New evidence for concern over the risk of birth defects from medications for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.J Clin Epidemiol. 2019;116:39-48. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2019.07.014
Panchaud A, Cleary B, Weber-Schoendorfer C, et al.The risk of questioning the safety of drugs considered safe in pregnancy at the era of big data: the everlasting case of doxylamine.J Clin Epidemiol. 2022;152:125-126. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2022.10.007
Unisom.Frequently asked questions.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Restless legs syndrome.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
