HomeContactAboutAdvertiseSite Policies

Herbs, Oils, and Juices

The common perception of herbs, oils, and juices is that they are natural, so they are safer than over the counter meds or prescription meds. This is far from true. They are no more, nor less risky than medications. They contain many of the same risks, for overdose, improper use, and side effects. For conception, pregnancy, and childbirth, they have the same kinds of elevated risk factors that medications do.

That said, there are herbs that can do things that medications do, and some things that medications cannot do. The major difference is that there may not be much known or documented about the safety of many herbs. Information tends to come from one of two sources: People selling it, or herbal proponents who see no limitations to herbs and who admit to no cautions; and medical professionals who see only the risks. The truth, again, lies in between those two extremes.

Peppermint tea is about the only herb that I would say, unequivocally, is safe for anyone, at any time. Of course, that is just my opinion! And anything, including peppermint, is a problem if overused. Even foods we eat each day are harmful if overused, so herbs are no exception to the natural laws.

The biggest problem to me where herbs are concerned is the unknowns. Some are foods that are commonly consumed or used as seasonings, and others are more rare. Some have known risks. But we just do not know if we use sage in medicinal doses, how it will be different than using it just as a seasoning, for example. Even herbs that are recommended for infertility or miscarriage may have unknown risks, and I will not use them, because I am not willing to put another life at risk through over-use of something that I would not otherwise use in high quantities.

It is the higher, and regular doses that are the problem. If you use something once in a while, it is quite different than if you use it every day, or if you use larger amounts of it. A fetus may compensate for a single exposure, but be unable to compensate for repeated exposure.

I use a few herbs during pregnancy: Red Rooibos Tea, to help with some muscle issues I have. Peppermint Tea, as a mild relaxant, to help calm uterine contractions and to reduce headaches. Aloe Vera Juice, to mitigate autoimmune and allergic reactions which might interfere with pregnancy, and which DO cause me problems the rest of the time (though I have been told that Aloe Juice may be an abortifacient if it contains any of the outer leaf - this gives the liquid a green color instead of the usual yellow to brownish color). These are herbs which I feel are safe, but since I have no way of proving that, I am taking the risk that I feel comfortable taking.

I tend to be hyper-cautious about what I take during pregnancy. This is for several reasons, including that getting pregnant and staying pregnant has been so hard. There are several factors which affect it, so I don't want to do anything that might add one more problem to the list.

Additionally, I have given birth to a child with a genetic disorder. While pregnant with her, I did not want to do ANYTHING that might add to her burdens. I have felt since then that I may have another child with special needs, which I have no problem with, but again, I never want to feel that I CAUSED those needs by negligence, or that I made them worse than they needed to be.

So when I make a choice about the use of herbs, I do so very cautiously. I make it based on my own set of guidelines. You must make your own set of rules, and then make your choices based on what is logical to you.

When you research herbs, you need to find as much info on them as you can. Do not believe either sources that are selling an herb, or medical doctor's information that is totally negative. Do take cautions about safety seriously, and if there is preliminary evidence to indicate specific risks, then listen to that! MANY herbs can cause uterine contractions, and many can cause genetic mutations, or developmental problems. Look for sources which list actual known or suspected problems, and not just "we don't know so this is unsafe" statements (those come with every herb).

Consider what it is that the herb is generally used for. If the common use is one that would produce a possible risk for pregnancy or conception, then do not use it. Since herbs in their natural state contain multiple compounds, they may be used for several different conditions.

Some possible risk factors are:

Pain relievers. They can interrupt neurological or circulatory development.

Sedatives. They have a poor safety record.

Blood Thinners or Clotting Herbs. Either one can cause potentially serious issues with conception or pregnancy.

Herbs which affect blood sugar levels. Many of these are toxic if used wrong, and none should be used without careful monitoring and unless you know what it does. Cinnamon is generally considered safe, but there are still some unknowns about its side effects when used in medicinal quantities.

Anti-Biotic, Anti-Fungal, and Anti-Viral Herbs. They can affect the development of certain cell types. Good when wanting to kill malicious cells, not so good when innocent fetal cells get killed too.

Immune System Enhancers. Generally not a problem, BUT, if you don't know what is causing your infertility or miscarriages, and it is complicated by an autoimmune or allergic process, you could actually make the problem worse. Aloe Juice is associated with immune system balance, and may be a reasonable option if you suspect autoimmune or allergic processes (as long as it is processed correctly).

Herbs that enhance cellular repair. These herbs, of which comfrey is one, encourage more rapid cellular replication. Because they do what they do, they also increase the risk that some of those cells may have mutations in them. This can increase the risk of certain types of cancer developing, just because of what the herb does. Now, used for healing, when there is a temporary condition, the risk is not significant. If used repetitively though, the risk becomes something to worry about. Several other herbs enhance healing by speeding up cellular development, and those may or may not cross the placental barrier, and may or may not affect cellular development in pregnancy. Antioxidant herbs are not included in this category, they do not speed up the rate at which cells replicate, they only provide the necessary elements for cellular development to occur optimally.

There are many others as well, these are just some examples of how you might go about making comparisons and rational judgments. There is no completely accurate way to know, you just have to research well and make logical choices. Generally, if you do so, you'll do much better than if you just take someone's word for it and try anything and everything.

Herbs do have a long history of use, but safety has not been well tracked or documented. If a woman took Lobelia during a pregnancy and had a child with mental delays, they'd never really connect the two, especially if someone down the street also took Lobelia and had a "normal" child, or a child with different birth defects. Some herbs do have a strong link to problems with pregnancy, but they rarely have any kind of track record with infertility, or even early miscarriage. Those that do are typically ones with major safety issues, but other herbs which also have significant risks are not documented well.

Do your homework, and be suspicious of extremes!