Magnesium Oxide

The Basics

What is Magnesium Oxide?

Used for relief of heartburn and dyspepsia, as an antacid, magnesium supplement, and as a short-term laxative. It is also used to improve symptoms of indigestion.

Brand names for Magnesium Oxide

Prepopik

How Magnesium Oxide is classified

Cathartics, Gastrointestinal Agents, Magnesium Compounds

Magnesium Oxide During Pregnancy

Magnesium Oxide pregnancy category

Category CNote that the FDA has deprecated the use of pregnancy categories, so for some medications, this information isn’t available. We still think it’s useful to list historical info, however, given what a common proxy this has been in the past.

What we know about taking Magnesium Oxide while pregnant

In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans, though. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Taking Magnesium Oxide While Breastfeeding

What are recommendations for lactation if you're taking Magnesium Oxide?

No information is available on the clinical use of magnesium oxide during breastfeeding. However, other magnesium salts have been studied. A study on the use of magnesium hydroxide during breastfeeding found no adverse reactions in breastfed infants. Intravenous magnesium increases milk magnesium concentrations only slightly. Oral absorption of magnesium by the infant is poor, so maternal magnesium hydroxide is not expected to affect the breastfed infant’s serum magnesium. Magnesium oxide supplementation during pregnancy might delay the onset of lactation, but it can be taken during breastfeeding and no special precautions are required.

Maternal / infant drug levels

No information is available on the clinical use of magnesium oxide during breastfeeding. However, other magnesium salts have been studied. A study on the use of magnesium hydroxide during breastfeeding found no adverse reactions in breastfed infants. Intravenous magnesium increases milk magnesium concentrations only slightly. Oral absorption of magnesium by the infant is poor, so maternal magnesium hydroxide is not expected to affect the breastfed infant’s serum magnesium. Magnesium oxide supplementation during pregnancy might delay the onset of lactation, but it can be taken during breastfeeding and no special precautions are required.

Possible effects of Magnesium Oxide on milk supply

One mother who received intravenous magnesium sulfate for 3 days for pregnancy-induced hypertension had lactogenesis II delayed until day 10 postpartum. No other specific cause was found for the delay, although a complete work-up was not done.[3] A subsequent controlled clinical trial found no evidence of delayed lactation in mothers who received intravenous magnesium sulfate therapy.[4] Some, but not all, studies have found a trend toward increased time to the first feeding or decreased sucking in infants of mothers treated with intravenous magnesium sulfate during labor because of placental transfer of magnesium to the fetus.[4][5]

A study in 40 pairs of matched healthy women with vaginally delivered singleton pregnancies, outcome endpoints were compared in those receiving continuous oral magnesium aspartate HCl supplementation mean dose of 459 mg daily (range 365 to 729 mg of magnesium daily) for at least 4 weeks before delivery versus non-supplemented controls. In the magnesium group, significantly fewer women could breastfeed their infants exclusively at discharge (63% vs 80%).[6]

Possible alternatives to Magnesium Oxide

(Laxative) Bisacodyl, Docusate, Magnesium Hydroxide, Psyllium, Sodium Picosulfate, Sodium Phosphate.