Chamomile tea should be avoided during pregnancy due to the risk of severe allergic reactions and its mild uterine stimulant properties. Consultation with a physician is recommended before using any herbal ingredients. Chamomile can be used topically for skin conditions and oral ulcers and consumed for anxiety and stomach pain, but safer alternatives like ginger exist. There is conflicting information on chamomile during pregnancy due to a lack of controlled research. It is not recommended to consume more than one cup of chamomile tea, and chamomile essential oils and extracts should be avoided.
There is considerable debate surrounding the use of chamomile tea during pregnancy. The bottom line is that this herb can cause severe allergic reactions and is also a mild uterine stimulant. For these reasons, many sources, including government agencies like Health Canada, recommend avoiding chamomile tea during pregnancy. A physician should be consulted before using any herbal ingredients, as herbs may contain compounds that may be harmful to an unborn baby or could endanger pregnancy.
Chamomile is a member of the ragweed family that has been used in herbal medicine for thousands of years. It can be used as a topical rinse for skin conditions and oral ulcers and can also be consumed for anxiety and stomach pain. Because many pregnant women experience these symptoms, some specifically encounter recommendations to take chamomile tea, and many pregnant women who drink chamomile tea during pregnancy have no adverse effects.
A single cup of chamomile tea periodically is unlikely to cause problems unless a woman is allergic to plants in the ragweed family. Consulting a doctor first is recommended, and women with a history of miscarriages should definitely avoid chamomile tea, even in mild teas. Tea can help settle your stomach, but there are safer alternative ingredients, like ginger, that offer the same benefits.
It is not recommended to consume more than a cup of chamomile tea, and chamomile essential oils and extracts should be avoided during pregnancy. The risk with stronger chamomile preparations during pregnancy is that the compounds in the herb are concentrated and women may receive a high enough dose to trigger contractions. Unless a woman is working with a doctor to induce labor, taking chamomile tea while pregnant is not recommended because there is a risk of premature labor.
The conflicting information available on chamomile during pregnancy reflects the lack of controlled research on the use of this herb in pregnant women. This is a common problem with both herbs and pharmaceuticals, because researchers don’t want to endanger pregnant women and their babies by testing compounds on them during pregnancy. As a result, researchers must rely on individual reports of pregnancy outcomes in association with certain drugs and herbs to gather information about pregnancy safety. In the case of chamomile tea, there have been a few reports of miscarriages related to chamomile use during pregnancy, but other factors may have been involved and it is possible that the herb was not a direct cause or was not even involved. For example, a woman may have taken weed for cramps that preceded a miscarriage.
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