Dangerous Herbs for Pregnant Women

Below you will find a list of dangerous herbs for pregnant women to handle. Some of you might be shocked to find ordinary "kitchen herbs" on the list, but herbs such as sage and thyme can stimulate uterine contractions.

I complied this list from research done when I was pregnant. I do not claim that this is an all-inclusive list. Please research, or better yet, avoid any herb you are uncertain of. It is much better to be safe than sorry. As with any medicine, always check with your doctor before use.

I would like to call special attention to the dangers of Pennyroyal. This herb is especially dangerous; it has been linked to spontaneous abortions. If you have it in any form -- including massage or bath oils or lotions --- please discard it immediately. Remember, your baby's life is not worth the risk of keeping dangerous supplies that can easily replaced after your baby is born.

The following commonly used cooking herbs may encourage miscarriage and should be avoided during the first trimester and used sparingly throughout the pregnancy:

Basil, Caraway Seed, Celery Seed, Ginger, Fresh Horseradish, Savory, Marjoram, Nutmeg, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Parsley, Tarragon and Thyme.

The following herbs are best avoided while trying to conceive as well as during the first trimester. They have been known to prevent conception and/or cause the uterine to contract:

Pennyroyal, Wild Carrot Seed · Rue · Buckwheat · Elder · Smartweed · Ginger root · Tansy · Angelica · Lemon Balm · Bethroot · Black Cohosh · Blue Cohosh · Cotton Root Bark · European Vervain · Ergot fungus · Feverfew (in flower) · Hyssop · Liferoot (in flower) · Lovage · Marijuana · Mistletoe · Motherwort · Mugwort · Osha · Peruvian Bark · Rosemary (in flower) · Rue · Saffron · Sumac · Sweet Flag · fresh Wood Sorrel

The following herbs could cause birth defects:

Ma Huang (Ephedra) · Osha · Flax seed · Senna · Aloes · Castor Oil · Turkey Rhubarb · Buckthorn · Cascara Sagrada · Buchu · Horsetail · Juniper berries · Agave · Ginseng · Licorice · Hops · Sage

Here are some more herbs to be weary of:

Herb	Effect
Aloe	Laxative
Adler buckthorn	Laxative
American Mandrake	Stimulates uterine contractions
Angelica	Emmenagogue
Barberry	Uterine stimulant. Emmenagogue
Birthroot	Uterine astringent, Emmenagogue
Black Cohosh	Stimulates uterine contractions
Blessed Thistle	Strongly stimulates digestion, metabolism
Bloodroot	Stimulates uterine contractions
Blue Cohosh	Stimulates uterine contractions
Butternut	Laxative
Calamus	Stimulates uterine contractions
Cascara Sagrada	Laxative, Stimulates uterine contractions, Emmenagogue
Cayenne	Stimulates uterine contractions
Cinchona	Emmenagogue
Coltsfoot	Possibly fetotoxic
Cotton-Root Bark	Emmenagogue
Damiana	Affects nervous system and hormonal actively
Dockis	Laxative
Drug Aloe	Laxative
Ephedra	Cardiac stimulant, Emmenagogue
Fennel	Stimulates uterine contractions
Feverfew	Emmenagogue, Stimulates uterine contractions
Flaxseed	Stimulates uterine contractions
Goldenseal	Uterine stimulant, Emmenagogue
Gotu Kola	Affects nervous system
Juniper berries	Possibly fetotoxic, affects kidneys
Lady's Mantle	Stimulates uterine contractions, Emmenagogue
Licorice	Stimulates uterine contractions, Emmenagogue
Mayapple	Stimulates uterine contractions
Meadow Saffron	Laxative
Mistletoe	Stimulates uterine contractions, Emmenagogue
Mugwort	Emmenagogue
Nutmeg	Slightly toxic
Osha	Emmenagogue
Parsley	Emmenagogue
Passion Flower	Stimulates uterine contractions, Emmenagogue
Periwinkle	Stimulates uterine contractions, Emmenagogue
Pennyroyal	Emmenagoue, Known to cause spontaneous abortions
Pleurisy root	Cardiac stimulant
Poke Root	Stimulates uterine contractions, Emmenagogue
Purging Buckthorn	Laxative
Rhubarb	Laxative, Stimulates uterine contractions
Rue	Emmenagogue
Sage	Emmenagogue, causes hormonal activity, Stimulates uterine contractions
Sarsaparilla	Causes hormonal activity
Scotch broom	Cardiac stimulant
Senna	Laxative, Stimulates uterine contractions, Emmenagogue
Shepard's purse	Homeostatic
Tansy	Emmenagogue, Stimulates uterine contractions
Wild Cherry	Emmenagogue
Wormwood	Emmenagogue, Stimulates uterine contractions
Yarrow	Emmenagogue