Most sore throats during pregnancy are caused by common viruses and will clear up on their own within a week. You can safely manage the pain at home with a combination of simple remedies and a few over-the-counter options. The key is knowing which treatments are safe, which to avoid completely, and when a sore throat signals something that needs medical attention.
Home Remedies That Work
The simplest and safest starting point is a warm saltwater gargle. Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water, gargle for several seconds, and spit it out. The warm salt solution draws fluid out of swollen throat tissue, which temporarily reduces pain and inflammation. You can repeat this several times a day without any risk.
Honey mixed into warm water or decaffeinated tea is another effective option. Honey coats and soothes irritated throat tissue, and it can help thin mucus if your sore throat is connected to a cough or postnasal drip. Despite what you may have heard about honey and botulism, that risk applies only to infants under one year old. Honey is safe for pregnant adults.
Running a humidifier in your bedroom adds moisture to the air, which prevents your throat from drying out overnight and can relieve sinus pressure that contributes to throat pain. Cold, dry indoor air, especially in winter, makes an already irritated throat feel significantly worse. Staying well hydrated throughout the day matters too. Warm liquids in particular help keep the throat moist and comfortable.
Safe Over-the-Counter Options
If home remedies aren’t enough, acetaminophen (Tylenol) is the pain reliever of choice during pregnancy. It reduces both pain and fever. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reaffirms that acetaminophen remains the recommended option, though they advise using the lowest effective dose for the shortest time you need it.
You may have seen recent headlines about an FDA label change suggesting a possible link between prenatal acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental conditions in children. ACOG reviewed the evidence and found that the strongest studies show no causal connection. Appropriate use remains the standard of care, but there’s no reason to take more than you need.
For more targeted throat relief, throat-numbing sprays (like Chloraseptic) and medicated lozenges (like Cepacol) are generally considered safe during pregnancy. These numb the surface of your throat and can make swallowing much more comfortable for a few hours at a time.
What You Should Not Take
Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and aspirin are off the table. The FDA warns against using any nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) from 20 weeks of pregnancy onward because they can cause kidney problems in the developing baby. Impaired kidney function reduces amniotic fluid levels, which can lead to complications with lung and muscle development. At around 30 weeks, NSAIDs carry an additional risk of causing a heart problem in the baby by prematurely closing a key blood vessel. Some reported cases have been fatal. Simply put, avoid all NSAIDs for the entire pregnancy.
Be Careful With Herbal Teas
A warm cup of herbal tea feels like a natural choice for a sore throat, but not all herbal ingredients are safe during pregnancy. Chamomile tea, used regularly, has been associated with a higher incidence of preterm labor and miscarriage. Fennel has estrogenic effects that can stimulate uterine contractions. Peppermint in large amounts is considered risky in early pregnancy due to its ability to promote menstrual flow. Even ginger, which is commonly recommended for nausea, should stay under 4 grams per day because higher doses may stimulate the uterus.
An occasional cup of most herbal teas is unlikely to cause harm, but if you’re drinking multiple cups a day to soothe your throat, stick to honey and warm water or a plain decaffeinated tea instead.
Why Pregnancy Itself Can Cause a Sore Throat
Not every sore throat during pregnancy comes from a cold. Acid reflux is extremely common in pregnancy and can irritate your throat without any infection being present. The hormone progesterone relaxes the muscle between your stomach and esophagus, allowing stomach acid to flow upward. As your uterus grows, it also crowds your stomach and pushes acid higher.
A reflux-related sore throat often comes with a burning sensation that rises through your chest, a sour or bitter taste in the back of your mouth, or a throat that feels worse after eating or when lying down. If this sounds familiar, the fix isn’t cold remedies. Instead, try eating smaller meals, avoiding food within two to three hours of bedtime, and sleeping with your head slightly elevated. If reflux is severe, your provider can recommend pregnancy-safe antacids.
Signs You Need Medical Attention
Most viral sore throats resolve within five to seven days. A bacterial infection like strep throat is different. Strep typically causes intense throat pain, a high fever, swollen tonsils (sometimes with white patches), and swollen lymph nodes in your neck, but no cough or runny nose. Untreated strep requires antibiotics, and certain antibiotics are safe during pregnancy.
Contact your healthcare provider if you develop a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, have difficulty swallowing or breathing, notice blood when you spit, or if your sore throat lasts longer than a week without improving. A persistent high fever during pregnancy is considered an urgent warning sign on its own, regardless of the cause. If your throat pain is severe enough that you can’t drink fluids, that also warrants a call, since dehydration during pregnancy carries its own risks.