Safety of Herbal Teas Whilst TTC or Pregnant
There’s a lot of discussion and confusion in the fertility world about the safety of herbal teas.
To help clarify this I’ve compiled a list for you of the most commonly used herbs – for tea and cooking.
All herbs (even parsley and basil) are medicinal and have an effect on anyone consuming them. If you notice that something changes negatively with your fertility health after introducing a new herbal tea, then it may be best to stop the tea and see if the situation improves.
The table below shows the safety of commonly used herbal teas during pregnancy, or suspected pregnancy.
If you are not currently pregnant then most of the tea’s below will be safe, but they could cause changes with your health if used longer term. If you’re in doubt please consult a qualified herbalist.
| Safe When Pregnant | Caution When Pregnant | Unsafe When Pregnant * |
| Ginger root (use only the fresh root – and not the dried root. Tea-bags contain the dried root). | Red Raspberry Leaf (only for the last stage of pregnancy and never in early pregnancy) | Chilli |
| Rosehip (without Hibiscus) | Echinacea (should not be used as a general ‘tea’ but only as a medicine for infections caused by “heat”) | Chamomile |
| Peppermint (once every few days only) | Lavender (only in the 3rd trimester) | Fennel |
| Lemon Balm (once every few days only) | Valerian (only under supervision) * | Cinnamon |
| Nettles (past the 1st Trimester only – as it’s cooling and drying) | Green, White, Red, Yellow or Purple, Oolong or PuErh Tea (only under supervision) * | Rosebud |
| Black or green cardamom | Parsley (safe in small amounts only) | Hibiscus |
| Rooibos | Rosemary (only under supervision) * | Red Clover |
| Ashwagandha | Milk Thistle (only under supervision) * | Chaste Berry / Vitex |
| He Shou Wu | Dang Gui (only under supervision) * | Dandelion Root Tea |
| Basil (do not consume large portions) | Maca root (only under supervision) * | Liquorice Root (avoid when pregnant) |
| Burdock Root (only under supervision) * | Chai Tea | |
| Wild Yam Root (only under supervision) * | Black Cohosh (not to be used when pregnant) | |
| Ginseng (only under supervision) * | Mugwort | |
| Aloe Vera (only under supervision) * | Juniper Berry | |
| Yellow Dock | ||
| Sage | ||
| Motherwort |
* Unsafe when pregnant unless prescribed by a qualified and experienced Herbal Medicine Practitioner.
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