Herbs and Pregnancy
Would you please tell me about using herbs during pregnancy?
Many herbs are contraindicated in pregnancy, especially when taken internally as some may cause uterine contractions or cause a miscarriage due to their astringent effects. It is best to seek the advice of a Healthcare professional if you intend to use herbs internally. Generally it is best not to use any herbs during pregnancy, especially in the first two trimesters. There are exceptions to this rule such as using the herbs slippery elm and ginger for morning sickness symptoms such as nausea.
In the third trimester of pregnancy other herbs which naturally prespare the women for childbirth and breastfeeding may be introduced such as Raspberry leaf, Alfalfa, Aniseed, Fennel, Blessed Thistle, Chasteberry, Dandelion, Fenugreek, Shatavari, Milk Thistle, Jasmine, Lemongrass, Beth Root, Sqauw Vine and Nettle. Please seek the advise of a healthcare professional regarding these herbs and their use in labour. You may notice that some of these herbs are also mentioned on the contraindicated list above, this is because they are commonly used to bring on labour due to their effect on preparing the uterus and stimulating contractions whereas throughout the pregnancy these are contraindicated for the same reason.
In pregnancy it is best to err on the side of caution due to limited amounts of research, safety data, information and clinical studies gathered on herbs. For this reason many herbs do not currently have established safety data concerning their use. Obviously pregnancy is a sensitive time and the body is best left alone to perform its miracle of conception and growth of an infant, especially in the early stages.