8 Herbs To Avoid When You’re Pregnant
Some Herbal Remedies Can Be Harmful During Pregnancy
Herbal medicine has been practiced for thousands of years around the world, and has almost attained mainstream popularity. Nearly one third of Americans have used herbal treatments or some other forms of alternative medicine.
However, if you're pregnant, you must understand that a little bit of knowledge can indeed be dangerous when it comes to herbals. There are some herbs that may safely be used during pregnancy, but unless you are a naturopathic doctor, or consult one, it's safest to avoid any herbal treatments during your pregnancy. Here we take a brief look at just eight herbs to avoid during pregnancy, absolutely.
Consult A Doctor About What You Can Eat During Pregnancy
This is not a comprehensive list of herbs to avoid during pregnancy. They represent some of the most dangerous to expectant mothers. Six of these will actually induce abortion and sometimes death. Two of these six are classified by the FDA as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe). One of these herbs has culinary uses. This list intends to drive home the point that you must be vigilant and always consult a naturopathic doctor before using any herbs during your pregnancy.
- Ephedra. Ephedra and the following Hoodia are popular weight loss agents. Ephedra, also known as Ma-Huang, is a powerful stimulant. It does have some legitimate uses as a medicinal agent, but even experts generally use this cautiously.
- Hoodia is a plant traditionally used by indigenous tribes in Western Australia to help them endure hunger on long hunting forages in extreme heat. This plant is now avidly consumed by people who believe it will help them lose weight.
- Pennyroyal and Rue should also be avoided during pregnancy as both can induce abortion and both are classified by the FDA as GRAS. Although many people drink Pennyroyal tea, in the mint family, it is the oil which brings on miscarriage and causes liver damage in quite small amounts. Rue is used as an effective antispasmodic. However, even handling the plant can cause external itching and burning of the skin. The oil causes nerve damage and may induce abortion. There are many other herbs which effectively deal with muscle spasms and that are not as dangerous.
- Angelica, while having many good medicinal applications, such as helping indigestion, insomnia and nervousness, also promotes menstrual flow and can induce a miscarriage.
- Juniper Berry and Mandrake do not have much to recommend them in any herbal application. Both can induce abortion. Juniper can cause kidney damage, convulsions and high blood pressure, while Mandrake causes nausea and extreme irritation of the intestines.
- Tansy has been used to encourage fertility, but also can cause abortion. It deserves mention due to its common use in salads and marinades, as well as in cosmetics, notably for acne.
Again, this is only a sampling of herbs to avoid during pregnancy. If you wish to use herbs during pregnancy, consult a professional before you do!
Suggested Reading
Tags: Angelica, Ephedra, Harmful Herbal Remedies, Hoodia, Juniper Berry, Mandrake, Pennyroyal, Pregnancy, Rue, Tansy
December 1st, 2008 at 10:29 pm
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December 2nd, 2008 at 12:41 am
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December 3rd, 2008 at 10:17 am
Great piece – Re Juniper: although I agree that Juniper should not be used during pregnancy, I would not agree that it does ‘not have much to recommend it in any herbal application’. Juniper is considered very highly in both Tibet and the Navajo nation as ‘The great Protector’. Its name ‘juniperus communis’is considered by alchemists to be a clue (using the ‘doctrine of signatures’) to its potential use in treating diseases of the ‘community’ e.g. pandemics such as avian flu.
Re Ephedra: I agree, not during pregnancy; but I would also be wary about using it at all with people of a nervous disposition. Ephedra is a great herb for treating lung condition with people of an otherwise strong constition. Its often inappropriate use by those trying to make money from so called ‘weightloss herbs’ is one reason that herbs receive bad press. – Regards John E Smith Author of 100 Herbs of Power ISBN: 978-1-60693-242-1
December 4th, 2008 at 3:18 am
[...] swan480 wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptNearly one third of Americans have used herbal treatments or some other forms of alternative medicine. However, if you’re pregnant, you must understand that a little bit of knowledge can indeed be dangerous when it comes to herbals. … [...]