Herbs in Pregnancy

Some safety rules of thumb

In general, it is safest to avoid herbs while pregnant unless they are specified as safe.

Many herbs regulate contractions of the digestive tract, and these effects can extend to the uterus. If a pregnant uterus is influenced in the wrong way, the fetus could be expelled.

Chinese medicine classifies herbs with these effects as 'Qi Movers' or 'Blood Movers'. Apart from Ginseng and Astragalus Combination (Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang, Boost the Qi Combination), formulas containing these herbs should be avoided in pregnancy.