God has given us every herb for medicine
a list of herbs to AVOID during pregnancy
| Alder buckthorn - cathartic | Mugwort - emmenagogue |
| Angelica - emmenagogue | Nutmeg - slightly toxic (safe for cooking) |
| Barberry - uterine stimulant | Osha - emmenagogue |
| Birthroot - uterine astringent | Parsley - emmenagogue (safe for cooking) |
| Blessed thistle - strong bitter | Pennyroyal - emmenagogue |
| Butternut - laxative | Pleurisy root - cardiac stimulant |
| Cascara sagrada - laxative | Rhubarb - laxative |
| Coltsfoot - possibly fetotoxic | Rue - emmenagogue |
| Damiana - nervous system and hormonal activity | Sage - emmenagogue, hormonal activity (safe for cooking) |
| Drug Aloe - cathartic | Sarsaparilla (hormonal activity) |
| Ephedra - high alkaloid content, cardiac stimulant | Scotch broom - cardiac stimulant |
| Feverfew - emmenagogue | Senna - laxative |
| Goldenseal - uterine stimulant | Shepherd's purse - hemostatic |
| Gotu Kola - affects nervous system | Tansy - emmenagogue |
| Juniper berries - possibly fetotoxic, affects kidneys | Wormwood - emmenagogue |
NO NOs
The herbs in this list are to be avoided during pregnancy. Keep in mind that some professional herbalists may prescribe one or two of these in specific cases, but I'm listing them here because serious problems could arise if these are used by a novice especially during the first three months.
alcoholic tinctures of any herb
arbor vitae (Thuja occidentalis)
black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)
buchu (Barosma betulina)
Chinese angelica (Angelica sinensis)
Chinese rhubarb (Rheum palmatum)
dan shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza)
devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens)
elecampane (Inula helenium)
feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)
ginseng (Panax ginseng)
juniper (Juniperus communis)
licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)
myrrh (Commiphora molmol)
pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)
prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)
senna (Cassia senna)
shepherd's purse, (Capsella bursa-pastoris)
vervain (Verbena officinalis)
white peony (Paeonia lactiflora)
wild yam (Dioscorea villosa)
wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
yellow dock (Rumex crispus)
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