Are Herbal Teas Safe To Drink During Pregnancy?

Generally, herbal teas should be safe to drink during pregnancy. Herbal teas are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States. As such, there are no hard and fast guidelines for the safety of drinking herbal teas during pregnancy. However, there are some things to consider before using herbal teas while pregnant.

The first thing to remember is that herbs are generally considered to be natural drugs. In the same way that caffeine or nicotine are considered drugs, herbs that are in herbal teas should be approached with caution. You should take the same time and care to check on the specific ingredients in a herbal tea that you would anything else that you drink during your pregnancy. If in doubt at all as to the safety of a particular tea, you should discuss it with your health care provider.

There are certain herbal teas that are designed for women who are pregnant. The manufacturers of these teas suggest that their products may have a variety of effects, from easing morning sickness to pain relief to adding to the health of your baby. Here again, these statements have not been clinically proven. This doesn’t mean that they don’t work; it just means that the buyer should beware. Many of these teas contain ingredients such as rosehips, alfalfa, fennel seed, nettle leaf, strawberry leaf, lemon verbena, and lemon grass leaf. All of these herbs should be considered safe in terms of pregnancy.

There is some evidence to suggest that raspberry tea can help to induce labor. Raspberry tea is generally considered to be safe during pregnancy, but should probably be avoided if you have a high risk pregnancy or if you are at a risk for premature delivery. On the other hand, if you’re a week past your due date, it might be a viable option.

One final thing to keep in mind is that some teas will increase your need to urinate. Especially late in pregnancy when your baby is pushing on your bladder, you might wish to avoid anything that would add another extra trip to the restroom.

Posted in Pregnancy