Taking Unisom and Vitamin B6 During Pregnancy for Morning Sickness Relief
Over-the-counter options like Unisom and vitamin B6 can help relieve morning sickness. Here's what you need to know about taking Unisom and B6 during pregnancy.
Medically reviewed by Alyssa Dweck, MS, MD, FACOG
Morning sickness affects almost 75% of pregnant people. While home remedies and prevention strategies can be effective, sometimes they just aren't enough. Many people find relief by taking Unisom (doxylamine) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Both Unisom and B6 are considered safe throughout pregnancy, including in the first trimester.
Morning sickness can start as early as 6 weeks into pregnancy and can last up to 14 weeks, or even longer. And the term “morning sickness” is a misnomer—it’s more like “morning, noon, and night sickness” for many pregnant people.
If that's you, talk to a health care provider about trying Unisom and B6. Here's how they work to ease morning sickness during pregnancy.
Vesna Andjic / Getty Images
How Do Unisom and Vitamin B6 Help Morning Sickness?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says that the combination of Unisom and vitamin B6 is an effective remedy for morning sickness, and can be used safely during pregnancy if recommended by your health care provider.
The effectiveness is due to how the ingredients work together, says Diana E. Ramos, MD, an OB-GYN and adjunct assistant clinical professor at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. Doxylamine, the active ingredient in Unisom, is a type of antihistamine that is known to help with vomiting. B6 is a vitamin shown to relieve nausea in pregnant people. Together, Unisom and B6 are known to treat cases of moderate morning sickness when at-home remedies don’t seem to be working.
Always Read the Label
Doxylamine is often sold over-the-counter as Unisom (a sleep aid), and this medication is what most doctors recommend for morning sickness. It’s important to check the labels when you purchase Unisom, however, as doxylamine isn’t the active ingredient in all Unisom brand products. In some Unisom products, the active ingredient is diphenhydramine.
Are Unisom and Vitamin B6 Safe for Pregnant People?
Unisom and vitamin B6 are safe. Both drugs, whether taken alone or together, are safe to take during pregnancy and have no harmful effects on the fetus, according to the ACOG.
While these medications are considered safe to take throughout pregnancy, it's always to speak with a health care provider before starting any medications, says Lynn L. Simpson, MD, an OB-GYN and the chief of the maternal-fetal medicine division at Columbia University's Irving Medical Center in New York. Your provider can also help you determine the best dosage for you and how to take Unisom and vitamin B6 for morning sickness relief.
How To Take Unisom and Vitamin B6 During Pregnancy
Once you and your health care provider have decided that Unisom and B6 are a good treatment choice for you, you will likely have many questions about the ins and outs of taking the medication. Here is what you need to know.
Is it safe to combine Unisom and vitamin B6 during pregnancy?
While using this medication and supplement together is considered safe, the ACOG recommendations suggest a conservative approach: Trying vitamin B6 supplements alone first, and adding Unisom if needed.
While combining over-the-counter products is an option, experts say that it is also safe for pregnant people to take a prescription medication that combines both vitamin B6 and doxylamine. This is usually a prescription medication called Diclegis (doxylamine and pyridoxine).
“[Prescription combination pills such as Diclegis have been] shown to be more effective than taking Unisom and vitamin B6 separately,” says Dr. Simpson. Dr. Simpson says that taking 10 to 25 milligrams of vitamin B6 every 6 to 8 hours for mild cases of morning sickness may be helpful.
How long do Unisom and B6 take to work?
Unisom is generally fast-acting, says Dr. Ramos. “In general, doxylamine works shortly after ingesting,” she says. “So, if you have nausea now, you will get relief shortly after taking it.”
If you are taking a prescription like Diclegis, relief will be slower but longer-lasting. “The prescription combination is an extended relief formulation. If you take it at night, by morning it will be taking effect,” says Dr. Ramos.
Will taking Unisom make you sleepy?
Unisom is an over-the-counter sleep aid, so it may make you drowsy. Some providers even recommend it for occasional insomnia during pregnancy, but talk to a health care before taking it for that purpose.
“You may want to try it at night to see how you react to the medication,” Dr. Ramos offers. At the same time, she says, all people are different and react differently to medications. Drowsiness might not be an issue for you.
How long can you take Unisom and vitamin B6 during pregnancy?
You can take Unisom and B6 for as long as you need them to treat morning sickness, which for most people is throughout their first trimester, as morning sickness symptoms tend to decrease after that. For some people, morning sickness lasts beyond the first trimester, and you may need to continue taking Unisom and vitamin B6 to find relief.
Do I need to wean off of Unisom and B6?
There is no need to wean off Unisom and vitamin B6, says Dr. Simpson. “Patients can discontinue Unisom and pyridoxine abruptly—no need to taper these medications prior to stopping them,” she says. “Usually patients can stop their medications when they have been asymptomatic for more than a week and are beyond the first trimester.”
Other Morning Sickness Remedies
Although Unisom and vitamin B6 are considered safe, most health care providers recommend other remedies before taking medication for morning sickness. Combining these at-home remedies with Unisom and vitamin B6 can be helpful too. Dr. Simpson’s favorite non-pharmacologic remedies for morning sickness include dietary changes and avoiding common nausea triggers.
Dietary changes to try
Eating more often
Eating smaller amounts
Eating slowly
Eating more bland food
Drinking fluids separately from solids
Try taking ginger or peppermint
Common nausea triggers to avoid
Offensive odors
Excessive heat
Humidity
Noise
Motion
When To Consult a Health Care Provider
For some pregnant people, the combination of Unisom and vitamin B6 isn’t enough to make morning sickness more manageable. If this is the case, you may be dealing with a more severe case of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum, and you should talk to your doctor or midwife about other medications or options for treating it.
Whatever the case, always speak to your health care before taking any medications during pregnancy, including over-the-counter options like Unisom and vitamin B6. And never hesitate to reach out to your provider with questions or concerns along the way: That’s what they are there for.
Related: Researchers Say They Now Know What Causes Morning Sickness
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