Red Raspberry Leaf (Rubus idaeus): Uses, Evidence and Safety
Red raspberry leaf (Rubus idaeus) is widely used in pregnancy. What the labor trials and reviews found, what is not known about safety, and why to tell your midwife.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.
What is Red raspberry leaf good for?
What the body uses it for, and how strong the evidence is. A normal job in the body is not proof that extra supplements add benefit; each card says which.
Labor length (first stage)
Preliminary or mixedIn a placebo-controlled trial of 192 first-time mothers, raspberry leaf tablets did not shorten the first stage of labor.
Supplements: One trial found no shortening of the first stage; a later systematic review reached the same conclusion. Results may not apply to tea or other products.
Second stage of labor and forceps births
Preliminary or mixedThe same trial saw a second stage about 9.6 minutes shorter and fewer forceps births (19.3% vs 30.4%), but found no significant relationship with birth outcomes overall.
Supplements: Small effects from a single trial; not shown to be reliable.
Labor augmentation (real-world data)
Preliminary or mixedIn a small observational study of 91 women, fewer raspberry leaf users had their labor medically augmented.
Supplements: The authors said the results cannot be relied on or generalised, and called for a randomized trial.
Effects on uterine and other smooth muscle
Lab or animal research onlyLaboratory work shows raspberry leaf affects animal and human smooth muscle, including the uterus.
Supplements: Tissue and animal findings only; they do not show a benefit in people.
Traditional use in pregnancy and childbirth
Not enough evidenceWomen have used raspberry leaf to help pregnancy, labor and birth for a long time.
Supplements: Human studies have not shown clear benefit or harm; the supporting evidence is described as weak.
Milk supply (purported galactogogue)
Not enough evidenceRaspberry leaf is said to increase breast milk, but no scientifically valid clinical trials support this.
Supplements: No good evidence of benefit.
Toxicity at high injected doses in animals
Lab or animal research onlyAnimal studies showed toxicity when high amounts were given by injection into a vein or the abdomen.
Supplements: Animal-only finding by non-oral routes.
Connected topics
Open a group to see how each topic connects and how strong the evidence is.
Health goals (1)
- Women’s WellnessPreliminary or mixed
Used by women during pregnancy and labor. One trial found no shorter first stage and only small, uncertain effects on later labor outcomes.
Body systems (2)
- Reproductive HealthDocumented risk
Used around pregnancy and birth, but safety in pregnancy has not been proven and human trials show no clear benefit. Tell your midwife before using it.
- Reproductive SystemLab or animal research only
Laboratory studies show effects on uterine smooth muscle. This has not been shown to translate into a benefit in people.
Body parts (1)
- Reproductive OrgansLab or animal research only
Raspberry leaf affects uterine muscle in animal and human tissue studies; the effect in pregnancy is unproven.
Documented risks and interactions (3)
- Safety in pregnancy not established. Human studies have not shown harm, but they are small. A 2024 study said its lack of safety concerns should not be taken as evidence of safety.
- Breastfeeding safety data lacking. As a tea it is generally without side effects, but no safety data exist for nursing mothers or their infants.
- Product quality varies. Supplements may differ from their labels, and a test of one product may not apply to another.
If you are pregnant, tell your midwife or obstetric team before using raspberry leaf in any form. The research on it in pregnancy is small, and a 2024 study that saw no safety concerns said this should not be taken as evidence that raspberry leaf is safe. [1]
Key points first
- The evidence that raspberry leaf helps labor is weak, and a randomized trial did not find that it shortens the first stage of labor. [2] [3]
- Safety in pregnancy has not been proven. The human studies we read did not show harm, but they were small. [2]
- For breastfeeding, one drug and lactation database says no scientifically valid clinical trials support its use to increase milk, and no safety data are available for nursing mothers or infants. [4]
Overview
Red raspberry leaf comes from the leaves of the raspberry plant, not the fruit. Women have used various herbs to assist with pregnancy, labor and birth for centuries, and raspberry leaf is one of the most common. [2] This page covers the leaf as a herb. For the tea as a drink, see red raspberry leaf tea.Names and plant part
The accepted scientific name is Rubus idaeus L., in the rose family (Rosaceae). [5] The plant part discussed here is the leaf. [4] The fruit is a different plant part: the raspberry fruit contains many polyphenols (plant compounds) that can be detected in breast milk. [4] Results for the leaf should not be applied to the fruit, or the reverse.Traditional and popular use (not proof of effect)
The 2021 review above describes the use of raspberry leaf to help labor and birth as long-standing among childbearing women, without naming particular peoples or regions. [2] Raspberry leaf is also described as a purported galactogogue, meaning a substance said to increase milk supply. [4] Traditional use records how a plant has been used. It does not show that it works.What research shows
| Question | What the source found | Strength of evidence | Population and form studied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does it shorten labor or ease birth? | In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial it did not shorten the first stage of labor. The second stage was shorter by a mean of 9.59 minutes, and forceps births were 19.3% versus 30.4%. The authors found no significant relationship between tablet use and birth outcomes. [3] | Mixed, small effects; not shown to be reliable | 192 low-risk first-time mothers in Sydney, Australia; tablets taken from 32 weeks until labor [3] |
| Overview of controlled trials of herbs in pregnancy | A systematic review found raspberry leaf did not shorten the first stage of labor. It also said that, apart from ginger, there is no data to support any other herbal supplement in pregnancy. [6] | Insufficient evidence | Randomized trials of pregnant women, searched to 2010 [6] |
| Integrative review of all raspberry leaf studies | Thirteen studies were included. Human studies have not shown any harm or benefit, and the evidence supporting use in pregnancy is described as weak. [2] | Insufficient evidence | Lab, animal and human studies, 1941 to 2016 [2] |
| Real-world use and labor augmentation | Among 91 women, fewer in the raspberry leaf group had labor medically augmented. The authors said the results cannot be relied on or generalized to all pregnant women. [1] | Weak (observational, small) | 44 users and 47 non-users in Australia [1] |
| Effects on uterine muscle | Raspberry leaf has biophysical effects on animal and human smooth muscle, including the uterus. [2] | Preclinical (animal and tissue) | Laboratory tissue and animals [2] |
| Increasing milk supply | Proper evidence not found. A drug and lactation database says no scientifically valid clinical trials support this use. [4] | No good evidence found | None |
A note on animal results: the 2021 review reported toxicity in animal studies when high amounts were given by injection. This does not describe tea or tablets taken by mouth. [2]
Forms and why the form matters
The randomized trial used tablets (2 x 1.2 g a day) from 32 weeks of pregnancy, and its authors said the lack of differences raised the question of whether the dosage level was effective. [3] That is an amount used in one trial, not a recommendation. A trial of tablets does not tell us about tea, tinctures or other products. A clinician or midwife decides what is right for a person.Safety
- Pregnancy: the safety evidence is limited, and the 2024 authors called for a randomized trial. [1] Tell your midwife or obstetric team, and see pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Breastfeeding: it is generally without side effects when used as a tea, but no data are available on safety in nursing mothers or their infants. [4]
- Medicines, children, older adults, liver, kidney, surgery and allergy: not described in the sources we read. Ask a pharmacist, and read how interactions work.
- Quality: the lactation database notes that supplements may differ from their labels and that a test of one product may not apply to another. [4] See quality testing and certifications.
Related pages
Preconception, pregnancy, postpartum and breastfeeding and herb forms and preparations.Frequently asked questions
Is red raspberry leaf safe in pregnancy?
Safety has not been proven. Human studies did not show harm, but they were small, and a 2024 study said its lack of safety concerns should not be taken as evidence of safety. [1] Tell your midwife or obstetric team before using it.
Does raspberry leaf bring on or shorten labor?
A placebo-controlled trial of 192 first-time mothers found it did not shorten the first stage of labor. It found a shorter second stage by about 9.6 minutes on average. [3]
Can I use raspberry leaf while breastfeeding?
No safety data are available for nursing mothers or infants, and no scientifically valid clinical trials support its use to increase milk. [4]
Is raspberry leaf the same as raspberry fruit?
No. They are different plant parts. The fruit contains polyphenols that can be detected in breast milk, and results for one part do not transfer to the other. [4]
What is the scientific name?
Rubus idaeus L., family Rosaceae. [5]
References
- Raspberry leaf (Rubus idaeus) use in pregnancy: a prospective observational study. BMC Complement Med Ther 2024. Read 2026-10-23.
- Biophysical effects, safety and efficacy of raspberry leaf use in pregnancy: a systematic integrative review. BMC Complement Med Ther 2021. Read 2026-10-23.
- Raspberry leaf in pregnancy: its safety and efficacy in labor. J Midwifery Womens Health 2001. Read 2026-10-23.
- Raspberry. In: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Library of Medicine, 2006 entry. Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, species match: Rubus idaeus. Read 2026-10-23.
- Herb remedies during pregnancy: a systematic review of controlled clinical trials. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2013. Read 2026-10-23.