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Healthy & Safe Pregnancy

Herbs to Avoid During Pregnancy

Holistic Approaches You May Want to Reconsider

If you have questions about an herb or what is a safe amount, avoid the herb or ask an herbal practitioner or homeopathic doctor.

Many people have turned to holistic approaches to health care, which include the use of herbs, as an alternative to traditional medicine. There are some herbs, however, that shouldn't be used during pregnancy because of what they do to reproductive organs or because of naturally-occurring substances found in them.

If you have questions about an herb or what is a safe amount, avoid the herb or ask an herbal practitioner or homeopathic doctor.

Culinary herbs (basil, oregano, etc.) usually are safe in the small amounts used in cooking, but not in larger doses used for teas. Anthraquinone laxatives stimulate muscle, including the uterus, possibly causing miscarriage. Uterine stimulants should be avoided for the same reason. Alkaloids, bitter principles or essential oils should be avoided because they affect functions in the mom-to-be's body as well as in the fetus. Abortifacients also might cause miscarriage. Emmenagogues promote and regulate menstruation, which should be avoided during pregnancy.

If you have questions about an herb or what is a safe amount, avoid the herb or ask an herbal practitioner or homeopathic doctor.

Anthraquinone Laxative
  • Aloe
  • Buckthorn
  • Cascara Sagrada
  • Docks
  • Meadow Saffron
  • Senna
Uterine Stimulant
  • American Mandrake
  • Black Cohosh
  • Blue Cohosh
  • Bloodroot
  • Calamus
  • Cascara Sagrada
  • Cayenne
  • Fennel
  • Feverfew
  • Flax Seed
  • Goldenseal
  • Lady's Mantle
  • Licorice
  • Make Fern
  • Mayapple
  • Mistletoe
  • Passion Flower
  • Pennyroyal
  • Periwinkle
  • Poke Root
  • Rhubarb
  • Sage
  • Senna
  • Tansy
  • Thuja
  • Thyme
  • Wild Cherry
  • Wormwood
Alkaloids/Bitter Priciples
  • Barberry
  • Bloodroot
  • Celandine
  • Cinchona
  • Ephedra
  • Goldenseal
  • Wild Cherry
Essential Oils
  • Calamus
  • Cayenne
  • Fennel
  • Juniper
  • Lavender
  • Marjoram
  • Oregano
  • Passion Flower
  • Rosemary
  • Sage
  • Thuja
  • Thyme
  • Yarrow
Emmenogogue
  • Cascara Sagrada
  • Cotton-Root Bark
  • Lady's Mantle
  • Licorice
  • Mayapple
  • Thyme
  • Wormwood
  • Yarrow
  • Mistletoe
  • Passion Flower
  • Pennyroyal
  • Periwinkle
  • Poke Root
  • Rhubarb
  • Senna
  • Tansy
  • Thuja
  • Rue

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT...

Herbs to Avoid During Pregnancy

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Aislyn says
December 21, 2009

dont worry becky. green tea is not going to harm your baby. i was also drinking it every day before i found out i was pregnant. women in asia have been drinking green tea throughout their entire pregnancies for thousands of years. please remember that your doctor is not an herbalist and probably doesnt know much about herbs or alternative medicine - both of which can be extremely useful to you during your pregnancy. it is valuable to have another healthcare professional to turn to who is well versed in herbology and other forms of natural healing. doctors love to scare you and would often rather perform a c- sec that help you have natural childbirth. watch the movie "the business of being born" and do your own research. good luck and god bless!

Becky says
September 16, 2009

I just read in a pregnancy book to avoid green tea during pregnancy because it blocks the absorbtion of Folic Acid, and can cause spinal problems. That scares me because I was taking the supplement before I found out I was pregnant. now I am 11 weeks and can't wait to see the dr. to make sure everything is fine.

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