Pseudoephedrine is a nasal decongestant active ingredient available in over-the-counter (OTC) medicines that relieve a stuffy nose or sinus pressure due to the common cold or other ailments. Pseudoephedrine can be the only active ingredient in a nasal decongestant medicine or it can be found in medicines that not only relieve a stuffy nose, but other symptoms as well such as allergies, headache, or cough.
Symptoms Treated
Symptoms Treated
More specifically:
Sinus pressure, Nasal congestion
Common Products
- Advil®
- Alavert®
- Aleve®
- Claritin®
- Mucinex®
- Sudafed®
- Triaminic®
- TYLENOL®
- ZYRTEC-D®
- Store Brands (ex. Walmart’s “Equate” store brand or CVS Health store brand)
Dosing Information
Different types of products containing this active ingredient have different strengths. That’s why it is always important to read and follow the Drug Facts label. Most medicines warn against use of an active ingredient for longer than 7-10 days. Stop use and ask a doctor if symptoms persist.
A Note to Families:
1. Scientific and medical authorities around the world recognize acetaminophen as the only analgesic considered safe for use throughout an entire pregnancy when used according to the Drug Facts label.
2. There are no studies showing that acetaminophen use in children or during pregnancy causes autism.
3. Autism has many known risk factors, including genetics, but there is no clear, single cause.
4. Major health authorities like the FDA, CDC, and healthcare organizations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) do not have warnings against acetaminophen use during pregnancy based on any known risk of autism and all recommend acetaminophen as the safest analgesic to use during pregnancy for short-term pain relief.
Frequently Asked Questions:
In fact, the Autism Science Foundation (ASF), a non-profit organization funding scientific autism research, specifically states that: it is disingenuous and misleading to boil autism's causes down to one simple thing," as there are hundreds of genes linked to autism in addition to other complex environmental factors.
Additionally, the most recent and rigorous research on this topic does not show a causal link to autism. The 2024 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) analyzed nearly 2.5 million children using the gold-standard sibling comparison method, which controls for shared genetics and family environment, and found no association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy or infancy and neurodevelopmental issues such as autism.
- CDC Yellow Book (Current as of April 23, 2025): “Acetaminophen remains the non-opioid analgesic of choice during pregnancy.”
- FDA’s Acetaminophen Page (Current as of August 14, 2025): “To date, FDA has not found clear evidence that appropriate use of acetaminophen during pregnancy causes adverse pregnancy, birth, neurobehavioral, or developmental outcomes.”
Additionally, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Health, a professional organization for obstetricians with subspecialty training in maternal-fetal medicine, stated on September 25, 2025 that it: "...continues to advise physicians and patients that acetaminophen is an appropriate medication to treat pain and fever during pregnancy…the weight of scientific evidence that acetaminophen use during pregnancy causes an increased risk for autism or ADHD is simply inconclusive…”
Safety Guide
Safety Guide
Pseudoephedrine is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is safe and effective when used according to the Drug Facts label. Be sure to never use more medicine than what is recommended on the Drug Facts label.
Ask a healthcare provider before use if:
- You have high blood pressure, heart disease, thyroid disease, diabetes, or trouble urinating due to an enlarged prostate gland.
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Do not use if:
- You are currently taking a prescription monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) or if you stopped taking an MAOI less than two weeks ago.
- You are taking a prescription drug for depression, a psychiatric or emotional condition, or Parkinson's disease.
- Do not give a medicine containing pseudoephedrine to a child under the age of 4.
Stop use and ask a doctor if:
- You get nervous, dizzy, or are unable to sleep.
- Your symptoms do not improve within seven days or are accompanied by a fever.
- You take too much. Immediately contact a healthcare provider or the poison control national helpline at 800.222.1222.
What are the possible side effects of pseudoephedrine?
- Restlessness or excitability (especially in children)
- Nervousness
- Trouble sleeping