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Calcium carbonate / simethicone Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Warnings

Brand names: Alka-Seltzer Heartburn + Gas, Alka-Seltzer Heartburn + Gas ReliefChews, Children's Mylicon, Gas-X with Maalox, Gas-X with Maalox Extra Strength, Maalox Advanced Maximum Strength Chewable, Maalox Junior Relief Chewable, Maalox Max Quick Dissolve, Phazyme Gas & Acid, Rolaids Extra Strength Plus Gas Relief Softchews, Titralac Plus, Titralac Plus Liquid, Tums Chewy Bites with Gas Relief (Lemon & Strawberry), Tums Plus

Calcium carbonate / simethicone Pregnancy Warnings

Based on years of use, the malformative risk with calcium carbonate is unlikely in humans. In some patients, hypercalcemia has resulted in milk-alkali syndrome and other adverse events on the fetus. Animal studies using simethicone have not been reported. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy.

Benefit should outweigh risk.

US FDA pregnancy category: Not formally assigned to a pregnancy category.

Comments:
-Simethicone is not orally absorbed.
-Patients should limit their daily intake of calcium.

See references

Calcium carbonate / simethicone Breastfeeding Warnings

Calcium is normally excreted in human milk.

The manufacturer makes no recommendation regarding use during lactation.

Excreted into human milk: Yes

Comments:
-Simethicone is not orally absorbed.
-Both drugs have been used without apparent harmful effects in the nursing infant.

See references

References for pregnancy information

  1. Briggs GG, Freeman RK. Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health. 2015.
  2. Product Information. Tums with Gas Relief Chewy Bites (calcium carbonate-simethicone). GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Holdings (US) LLC. 2019.

References for breastfeeding information

  1. United States National Library of Medicine. Toxnet. Toxicology Data Network. http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT 2013.
  2. Briggs GG, Freeman RK. Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health. 2015.
  3. Product Information. Tums with Gas Relief Chewy Bites (calcium carbonate-simethicone). GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Holdings (US) LLC. 2019.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.