Herbs and Vitamins During Pregnancy

A balanced diet is the best way to receive nutrients, but vitamin supplements can also be beneficial. Pregnant women should only take vitamin supplements and many herbs on a health care provider's recommendation. Supplements and natural herbs do not replace a healthy diet but rather ensure that a woman is receiving enough daily nutrients.

Vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, and folic acid are vital for proper fetal growth, development and healthy adult living. To help increase your chances of creating a healthy and nutritious environment for your baby to develop, it is important that you establish a well-balanced diet and exercise routine before you get pregnant.

The following information has been adapted from the websites listed at the bottom of the page.

If you choose to supplement your diet with herbs or synthetic nutrients, be sure to keep track of daily amounts that you take, and let your doctor or midwife know.  It is possible to overdose which could have adverse effects on you and your growing baby.

If your diet consists of unprocessed foods, fruits, a colorful variety of vegetables, whole grains, lentils, and plenty of water, then you likely have sufficient vitamins and minerals already in your body. As long as you are eating a well balanced diet, then you need not fear overdosing on nutrients found naturally in foods. However, herbs and supplements (synthetic vitamins and minerals) are a different story. They contain higher doses in concentrated form, which can be detrimental if taken in improper amounts. Always let your health care provider know what nutritional supplements you are taking.

Prenatal Vitamins

Most prenatal and multivitamins contain at least 100% of the daily value (DV) for nearly all vitamins, but they usually don't contain 100% of the DV for minerals. (The DV is the amount of a vitamin or mineral that a person should consume every day. The Food and Drug Administration sets the daily values for the United States.)

During pregnancy, a woman's daily intake requirements for certain nutrients, such as folic acid (folate), calcium, and iron will increase. If you are pregnant (or trying to conceive) and considering taking a prenatal vitamin, carefully read the nutritional labels and familiarize yourself with terms like RDA and UL.

Avoid taking several different supplements, but rather take one multivitamin that includes a variety of needed nutrients in one dose. Combining supplements (such as taking a folic acid supplement along with your multivitamin, etc) can raise concerns because you run the risk of overdosing on a particular nutrient. Taking more than twice the RDA of any nutrient should be avoided during pregnancy. If you are taking additional supplements you should be aware of signs and symptoms of overdose.

Don't forget to check the expiration date. Multivitamins can lose potency, especially in heat and humidity. An expiration date tells you when to buy a new bottle and throw away the old one. Buy only multivitamins that have an expiration date on the label.

What you need to know about Folic Acid

Folic acid, a B vitamin, helps prevent birth defects of the brain and spinal cord when taken very early in pregnancy. It is available in most multivitamins, as a folic acid-only supplement and in some foods.  Some studies suggest that folic acid may also protect women and men from heart disease, stroke, colon cancer and  breast cancer.

The best way to get enough folic acid is to take a multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid in it and eat a healthy diet. Most multivitamins have this amount, but check the label to be sure. You also can get folic acid in your diet, but it's hard to get enough every day through food alone. That's why the March of Dimes encourages all women of childbearing age to take a multivitamin containing folic acid every day as part of a healthy diet.

Folic acid has no known toxic level. If you ate a bowl of fully fortified cereal (400 micrograms), took a folic acid supplement (400 micrograms), and ate fortified foods and foods rich in folate, you would not get too much folic acid. Even in very high amounts, folic acid is non-toxic. Still, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that women consume no more than 1,000 micrograms of synthetic folic acid a day

Folic acid is found in the following foods:

Natural herbs and vitamins

Although science and industry has replaced most natural supplements with a synthetic substitute, there are many who still look to natural herbs and vitamins to provide essential nutrition to pregnant women as well as aid in the relief of some common discomforts.

Many herbalists believe that herbs are often better, cheaper and healthier than their medical counterparts. However, many medical professionals do not recommend herbal remedies for pregnant women, since safety has not been established through extensive research.

Although herbs are natural, not all herbs are safe to take during pregnancy. The FDA urges pregnant women not to take any herbal products without talking to their midwife or doctor first. Women are also urged to consult a trained and experienced herbalist (or other professional who is trained to work with herbs) if they want to take herbs during their pregnancy. 

Herbs that are recommended in pregnancy

Depending on what type of health care provider you see, they may recommended using herbs to help promote the health of your pregnancy. Remember, never try to self dose or diagnose with any medications, including herbs. Because each pregnancy is different, with its own specific details, the best way to use herbs is under the care of a midwife, physician, herbalist, naturopathic or homeopathic doctor.

Choosing to use herbs during pregnancy is a personal choice, but to ensure the best outcome for you and your baby, you should be well educated on the types of herbs, parts of the herb ( root, leaf, etc…) and the way that it could be used ( caplet, tonic, tea.)  The herbs that are considered safe to use during pregnancy are often food or tonic herbs. These often will be found in either tablet form, tea, or infusion form.

The following herbs have been rated likely safe or possibly safe for use during pregnancy:

Herbs to be cautious about during pregnancy?

Depending on the source, some information will list an herb safe to consume during pregnancy, whereas another source may list the same herb as unsafe. Therefore, it is best to consult with your health care provider or someone trained in using herbs before taking any natural medicine or herb during pregnancy.

For example, the rating for Rosemary is considered likely safe when used orally in amounts typically found in foods.  But in pregnancy, Rosemary is considered possibly unsafe when used orally in medicinal amounts. We know that rosemary sprinkled in your tomato sauce is not a risk to you and your baby. If you were to use Rosemary in  a large dose, like that used in medicinal amounts, it could be dangerous for your pregnancy.

Herbs to Avoid during Pregnancy

The following herbs, when used orally, are considered unsafe or likely unsafe during pregnancy: