Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Pregnancy and breastfeeding and natural remedies: many supplements are untested in pregnancy; NIH cautions for St. John's wort, ginkgo, licorice, black and blue cohosh, turmeric, garlic, ginseng and kava.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to become pregnant, ask your clinician before taking any herb or supplement. Many dietary supplements have not been tested in pregnant women or nursing mothers. [1][2] This page lists cautions from NIH; it is not a list of safe options.
Cautions named by NIH
| Remedy | What the source says |
|---|---|
| St. John's wort | May be unsafe in pregnancy and may increase the risk of birth defects; breastfed infants can have colic, drowsiness and lethargy [3] |
| Ginkgo | May be unsafe in pregnancy; might cause early labor or extra bleeding if used near delivery; little is known about breastfeeding [4] |
| Licorice root | Large oral amounts (about 250 g of licorice a week) are unsafe in pregnancy and can raise the risk of delivery before 38 weeks; little known about breastfeeding [5] |
| Black cohosh | May not be safe in pregnancy or breastfeeding [6] |
| Blue cohosh (a different herb) | Used to induce labor, it has been associated with life-threatening complications in the infant, including seizures [6] |
| Turmeric supplements | May be unsafe in pregnancy; little known about amounts above food in breastfeeding [7] |
| Garlic | May not be safe in amounts greater than found in foods [8] |
| Asian ginseng | Some studies suggest it may be unsafe in pregnancy; one chemical caused birth defects in animals [9] |
| Kava | May have special risks because of harmful pyrone constituents [10] |
Other remedy types
- Foods: pasteurized milk and cheese, raw sprouts, fish: Functional food safety.
- Herbal teas: Herbal tea safety.
- Essential oils: Essential oil safety.
- Adaptogens and mushrooms: Adaptogen safety, Mushroom safety.
Breastfeeding data
NIH's LactMed database is the usual reference for medicines and breastfeeding. We could not read it from our system, so we do not quote it; check it directly. [11]What we do not provide
No list of "safe" herbs in pregnancy and no amounts. Proper evidence for most herbs in pregnancy was not found.Frequently asked questions
Are herbal supplements safe in pregnancy?
Many have not been tested in pregnant women; some are named as possibly unsafe by NIH. [1][3]
References
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Using Dietary Supplements Wisely. Read 2026-10-22.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Mixing Medications and Dietary Supplements Can Endanger Your Health. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). St. John's Wort: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Ginkgo: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Licorice Root: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Black Cohosh: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Turmeric: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Garlic: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Asian Ginseng: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Kava: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Library of Medicine. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). Our system was stopped by a browser check on 2026-10-22, so we did not read it; we link it for you to check.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.