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!
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