Can you take hawthorn while pregnant

Consumers have little way of knowing if a product will do what the label claims and how safe the product may be. 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 health-care provider first.

Women are also urged to consult a trained and experienced herbalist or other professionals trained to work with herbs if they want to take herbs during their pregnancy. Some herbal products may contain agents that are contraindicated in pregnancy.

Herbs may contain substances that can cause miscarriage , premature birth, uterine contractions, or injury to the fetus. Few studies have been done to measure the effects of various herbs on pregnant women or fetuses. Depending on the source, some information will list a herb as 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.

Some organizations that specialize in herbs have done extensive testing on their safety. Often these organizations will list herbs with their safety ratings for the general population and for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. These ratings can often be confusing and hard to interpret; this is why speaking with a professional who is familiar with using herbs during pregnancy is recommended. One key thing when understanding the safety ratings is to pay attention to what type of use the rating is for.

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. Because rosemary may have uterine and menstrual flow stimulant effects, it is best to avoid using it.

There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of the topical use of rosemary during pregnancy. This is a prime example of how the method of use of the herb changes its safety rating.

We know that rosemary sprinkled in your tomato sauce is not a risk to you and your baby. However, if you were to use rosemary in a large dose, like that used in medicinal amounts, it could be dangerous for your pregnancy. Avoid use. Juniperus spp. Sabino, Juniper berry Berry Tea May induce uterine contractions. Leonorus cardiaca Motherwort, Agripalma Stem, leaves, and flowers Tea, tinctures, syrups May induce uterine contractions.

Lycopus virginicus Bugleweed, Menta de lobo Stem, leaves, and flowers Tea, tinctures May induce uterine contractions. Matricaria recutita Manzanilla alemana, German chamomille Flowers Tea, capsules, Enema May induce uterine contractions.

Mentha pulegium Poleo, Pennyroyal leaves, Steams and Flowers Te, Aceite esencial Essential oil should not be used internally; abortifacient and liver toxic.

Montanoa tomentosa Zoapatle. Cihuapatli Leaves and stems Tea May induce uterine contractions. Nicotiana tabacum Tabaco, Tobacco leaves Smoked, chewed Castor oil used as laxative may stimulate uterine contractions.

Avoid essential oil during pregnancy. Origanum spp Oregano Leaves and stems Tea, essential oil Occasional use as a condiment considered safe. Panax ginseng Ginseng coreano, Korean ginseng Root Tea, capsules Safety for use during pregnancy not established. Panax quinquefolius Ginseng americano, American ginseng Root Tea, capsules Safety for use during pregnancy not established. Peumus boldus Boldo leaves Tea Contains a toxic compound known as ascaridol and a hypnotic alkaloid, boldine.

Piper methysticum Kava kava Rhizomes, root Liquid extracts, capsules Safety for use during pregnancy not established. Ricinus communis Ricino, Castor oil, palma Christi Seeds Oil Castor oil used as laxative may stimulate uterine contractions. Rosmarinus officinalis Romero, Rosemary Steams and leaves Tea, essential oil Occasional use as a condiment considered safe.

Serenoa repens Palma sabal, Saw palmetto Berrys Pills, capsules Bark may induce uterine contractions. Hawthorn extract LI is standardized to 2.

The authors concluded that the results suggest a marked benefit in symptom control and physiologic outcomes when hawthorn extract is used as an adjunctive treatment for chronic CHF. By the end of the trial, both groups had improved exercise capacity compared with baseline measurements, with no statistically significant differences between the two treatment arms. However, the investigators used a relatively low daily dosage of captopril The only absolute contraindication for the use of hawthorn is known hypersensitivity to Crataegus products.

Its use is not recommended during pregnancy because of potential uterine stimulation. One publication recommends against use in pregnancy based on results of animal studies and human case reports. It is therefore not currently recommended for children or breastfeeding mothers. The majority of studies indicate that oral hawthorn is well tolerated; vertigo and dizziness are the most common adverse effects.

As many as one third of patients with heart failure are taking complementary and alternative medicine supplements, several of which may interact negatively with typical heart failure medications. Hawthorn should be used with caution when combined with other herbs and supplements that have cardiovascular effects e. Hawthorn is usually standardized to its content of flavonoids 2.

The daily dosage as reflected in the literature ranges from to 1, mg, but most physicians believe there is greater therapeutic effectiveness with higher dosages to 1, mg in two or three divided doses daily. The German Commission E specifically recommends hawthorn leaf and flower as the parts of the plant to be used therapeutically. Despite the supported clinical benefits, any treatment for symptomatic heart failure with claims of inotropic activity should be studied for a long period to rule out any potential increase in mortality.

This has been the case with several synthetic inotropic drugs. In addition, because these products are not regulated by the U. Food and Drug Administration, patients who insist on using hawthorn should be given a trial of at least four to eight weeks with a reputable supplement.

Table 1 summarizes the key points about hawthorn. New York Heart Association classes I through III chronic congestive heart failure: effective for symptom control based on short-term studies, but no evidence of decrease in mortality. Well tolerated overall; vertigo and dizziness are the most common adverse effects. May enhance the activity of digitalis; theoretic interactions with antiarrhythmics, antihypertensives, antihyperlipidemic agents. Known hypersensitivity to Crataegus products; insufficient reliable information for safety of use in children and in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Most effective dosage not currently known; recommended dosages range from to 1, mg per day in two or three divided doses. Hawthorn should not be used in place of proven conventional therapies for heart failure; may be effective for symptom improvement when used as an adjunct to conventional therapies; use should be carefully considered and monitored.

Product quality may vary. Already a member or subscriber? Log in. Interested in AAFP membership? Learn more. At the time this article was written, he was a staff physician at the San Diego Calif. VA Medical Center. Reprints are not available from the authors. Alternative medicine practitioners such as herbalists use the red or black berries, called haws, to treat high blood pressure or other heart problems in pregnancy.

Traditional medical practitioners do not condone the use of hawthorn in pregnancy, as clinical trials have not proved its safety.

This herb is used in Germany to improve irregular heartbeat and may also have blood-thinning properties. Weed recommends hawthorn berries to treat essential hypertension in pregnancy rather than gestational hypertension.

If you have high blood pressure before you get pregnant as well as during pregnancy, you have essential hypertension.