Trying to get pregnant can be quite the journey. While it’s quick and easy for some, for others it can take months or even years. If conceiving is taking longer than you’d like, it’s completely understandable if you’ve gone down the online rabbit hole to look for fertility tips that could raise the odds.
Enter the Mucinex for fertility hack. Some online influencers swear by using Mucinex to get pregnant—and while there’s no major research to support this claim, social media is packed with testimonials from expectant moms who said they’ve gotten pregnant by taking Mucinex in the days leading up to ovulation.
Personally, I’m a believer. After months of trying and failing to get pregnant with my third child, I decided to give the Mucinex trick a try before seeing my doctor. I got pregnant right afterward, and gleefully made the call to change my preconception appointment to a prenatal visit.
So, does Mucinex help you get pregnant? Doctors aren’t exactly writing prescriptions for it—but they’re not necessarily condoning it either. But with so many women saying it works, it’s worth diving into the connection between Mucinex and fertility. Here’s what you need to know if you’re interested.
Key Takeaways
- Mucinex is an over-the-counter medication that helps to loosen and thin mucus in your airways, making it easier to cough up.
- Many women say Mucinex helped them get pregnant. The theory is that the medication will also thin cervical mucus, making it easier for sperm to reach egg.
- There’s a little research to support using Mucinex for fertility, although it’s not definitive. In general, it’s safe to use Mucinex as directed.
- Doctors still recommend other, more proven lifestyle changes to boost fertility.
Can Mucinex Help You Get Pregnant?
Doctors are hesitant to actually recommend Mucinex to get pregnant, since the research on it isn’t robust. Still, every doctor we spoke to said there may be something to this theory. “Many women—and men—swear by it,” points out Sherry Ross, MD, an ob-gyn and women’s health expert at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, and author of She-ology and She-ology, the She-quel.
Here’s how it could work: The active ingredient in Mucinex is guaifenesin, an expectorant that works by thinning mucus, according to the US National Library of Medicine. “It’s typically used to clear mucus in the airway when someone has an upper respiratory infection,” explains Jamie Alan, PharmD, PhD, an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University.
The working theory is that Mucinex can help to thin out your cervical mucus too, making it easier for your partner’s sperm to reach your egg. “If you make cervical mucus thinner, the sperm would technically have less work to get to its destination and less resistance,” says Christine Greves, MD, FACOG, an ob-gyn at the Orlando Health Women’s Institute.
There’s some research to support the idea that taking Mucinex for fertility can work, but it’s older and not very robust. One study from 1982 followed 40 couples who were trying to conceive for at least 10 months. The women were given 200 milligrams of guaifenesin three times a day leading up to ovulation. The researchers found that 23 of the 40 couples had “marked improvement” in cervical mucus tests and 15 of those 23 got pregnant during the study period. “The results indicate that guaifenesin may improve cervical mucus and improve fertility,” the researchers wrote. But the study didn’t have a control group—the gold standard in science—and it hasn’t been replicated since.
Then, there was a preliminary case report published in 2010 that followed a man whose wife wasn’t able to conceive over the course of 18 months. He was given 600 milligrams of guaifenesin to take twice a day. After two months, his semen analysis showed “marked improvement” in total sperm count and motility, although the case report doesn’t say whether it ended in pregnancy.
While the studies are old, they do seem promising. But doctors stress that taking Mucinex isn’t a slam-dunk solution for getting pregnant. “Having sperm with the ability to travel is only one factor in getting pregnant,” Greves says. Still, she says the idea of using Mucinex to get pregnant isn’t totally out there. “Hypothetically, it makes sense that this would thin cervical mucus,” she says.
When to Take Mucinex to Get Pregnant
While taking Mucinex to get pregnant isn’t scientifically proven, if you were to try it, there’s a standard formula that most people suggest.
It’s generally recommended (by people online—not doctors) that you take Mucinex in the days leading up to ovulation. That 1982 study we mentioned had women take the medication starting on day five of their cycle, but some people simply take Mucinex right before and during ovulation. Again, there’s not a lot of science to this.
As with any over-the-counter medication, it’s important to be aware of potential side effects and check in with your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns. In some people, Mucinex can cause side effects such as diarrhea, dizziness or headache. And make sure to follow the directions on the label for the dosage.
Mucinex Fertility Success Stories
I might as well be the poster child of taking Mucinex for fertility! I’m now a mom of four, and my third child was conceived right after I took Mucinex. It’s hard for me to say for sure that this is why I got pregnant with my daughter, but the timing definitely lines up.
Many other women are convinced that Mucinex is the reason they got pregnant. That includes Love Is Blind star Alexa Lemieux, who shared on TikTok in 2024 that she conceived after taking Mucinex. The comments of her post were flooded with testimonials from other women. “My Mucinex blessed me with twins,” one wrote. “My Mucinex baby will be here next month!” another said.
In fact, if you search for “Mucinex” on TikTok, you’ll see an arsenal of testimonials from women who claim they got pregnant after trying this hack.
Proven Ways to Boost Fertility
If you want to try to use Mucinex to get pregnant, many doctors say it’s relatively harmless to try. But there are more tried-and-true, scientifically proven ways to prepare for pregnancy. Experts recommend taking these steps to help you conceive:
- Eat a balanced diet
- Refrain from alcohol, smoking and drugs
- Exercise regularly
- Try to get seven-plus hours of sleep a night
- Try to limit stress in your life
- Use an ovulation kit
- Take a prenatal vitamin
- Speak with your healthcare provider to manage any medical conditions
Greves also suggests tracking your periods and ovulation. (You’ll want to try to have sex during your ovulation window.) If you’re having any abnormalities with your period, like spotting, Greves recommends seeing your ob-gyn for an evaluation.
It’s also a good idea to check in with your doctor if you’ve been trying to conceive for a while, although the exact recommended timeline varies by age. If you’re under 35 and have been trying for a year, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) suggests talking to a healthcare provider. That drops to six months if you’re between 35 to 39. If you’re 40 or older, ACOG recommends seeing your doctor right away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mucinex make you fertile?
While there are no robust scientific studies to support using Mucinex for fertility, plenty of people think it can help. “If someone’s just beginning to try to conceive and they don’t have any contraindications to it, it’s fine to try this,” Greves says. But Greves stresses that fertility involves a lot more than thinner cervical mucus, making it hard to say that Mucinex will be potentially helpful for everyone.
Can I take Mucinex while pregnant?
Guaifenesin is designated as Category C for pregnancy, which means there isn’t good data to suggest that it’s harmful or safe to take this when you’re expecting. Some doctors don’t recommend taking it during the first trimester. “It’s unlikely that guaifenesin will increase the risk of birth defects,” Alan says. “However, there’s a small body of literature that suggests that it increases the chance of birth defects slightly.” With that, Greves recommends talking to your doctor about taking Mucinex while pregnant. (If you didn’t know that you were pregnant when you took Mucinex, Greves says you shouldn’t stress about it.)
Does Mucinex boost a man’s fertility?
Possibly. The data to support Mucinex’s role in male fertility is about as robust as it is for women (meaning, not very). Still, men say they use Mucinex for fertility too. “Men claim the ejaculate that contains the sperm is also loosened up, which helps in the fertilization process,” Ross says.
Is it safe to take Mucinex regularly?
Mucinex is designed to be taken when you’re dealing with chest congestion, and isn’t considered a long-term medication. Still, Alan says it’s generally safe to take. “There haven’t been studies looking at long-term effects,” she says. “However, the risks are probably low for substantial side effects.”
Does Mucinex affect birth control?
Mucinex is unlikely to interfere with your birth control. “As long as you’re taking your birth control as prescribed, this shouldn’t affect birth control at all,” Alan says.
While doctors agree that the data to support the Mucinex hack isn’t really there, they also say that there’s likely no harm in trying Mucinex to get pregnant. “It’s unlikely to help. However, it’s likely safe,” Alan says. And if it does help? Well, join the club!
