Is it safe to use essential oils in pregnancy?
I know most people want this to be an easy yes or no answer. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy.
The answer is, yes, mostly, with caution.
This question comes up often, and I have written different versions of lengthy responses over the years as I have studied the information that is available to us in all of the safety textbooks, aromatherapy websites, and info from midwives, herbalists, and doctors that I respect.
And, what I have landed on is that I really like what the Essential Life has to say about EO usage for pregnant and nursing women.
I hope you find this helpful. Please feel free to copy and save for your reference. I highly recommend this book as a valuable resource for using essential oils in your every day life. It’s a beautiful coffee table type book, packed with tons of great information. I have made a couple of editor’s notes in brackets.
“There are differing opinions regarding essential use and safety during pregnancy as well as nursing. It is common to find warnings everywhere about which oils one should and should not use during pregnancy. The most commonly expressed concern is over topical and internal use of oils.
When using essential oils that are laden with impurities there is a legitimate threat posed to a developing fetus. However, if the user has ensured they are using only pure, unadulterated essential oils, manu of those concerns become unwarranted. It is recommended a pregnant woman be under the care of a physician and/or midwife and consult them prior to taking/using new products.”
Here are a few safety guidelines to use when selecting oils for use during pregnancy:” {each section is expanded in the book, see Essential Life book for full description}
1. Use truly therapeutic, superior grade essential oils.
2. Be aware – when using pure/potent oils, be aware of what they might do before using them. When using more powerful oils, use small amounts and dilute with carrier.
3. Be a wise steward – 1st trimester development – be more cautious
4. Pay attention to how the body responds
5. Use oils aromatically
6. Consider the source – “When it comes to trying to decipher facts regarding essential oils use during pregnancy and nursing, human studies are not conducted. Rather animal studies, mainly on rats, are the source of the majority of information. During these studies inordinately high doses of essential oils are injected at levels that exceed human consumption and fail to duplicate the human experience. Frankly, no human would consume or use these quantities nor do they inject them as a form of use.”
That being said, I personally have a few single oils that I wouldn’t rub all over my own pregnant belly (like wintergreen and cinnamon), and because we don’t have much conclusive data, this is going to be up to each person individually. Many will want a list of do’s and dont’s and you can find them in the interwebs – like this one for example. However, they are all different, so it’s difficult to say which to lean on. I will be adding a post soon sharing my favorite oils for pregnancy and birth, and will lean toward the conservative side so you can feel safe in using them. 🙂
7. Err on the side of safety – use prudence, dilute, and avoid anything that simply doesn’t feel right.
“NOTE: the use of clary sage by women who have a history of preterm labor or miscarriage or are experiencing such should be avoided. The use of peppermint oil while nursing {may} limit milk production for some women and therefore it is recommended for them to reduce or stop usage while breastfeeding. Some women report that minor use is acceptable but advise avoiding regular use so as to avoid a significant decrease in milk production.
Fennel, clary sage, or basil can counteract effects of peppermint on lactation as they increase milk supply.”
Essential oils have been used for over 25 years by midwives, doulas, nurses, and mothers-to-be and have shown no harm to the mother or baby when used with common sense. In fact Jane Buckle, RN (Buckle, 2015) states;
“There are no records of abnormal fetuses or aborted fetuses as a result of the normal use of essential oils, either by inhalation or by topical application.”
If you don’t already have it, the Modern Essentials app has some great suggestions for essential oils to use during pregnancy and birth, as well as suggestions for common ailments, concerns, and stages of development for babies and children.
I also LOVE the Essential Emotions app or the Emotions and Essential Oil book for support with emotions in any stage of pregnancy, birth, mamahood, childhood development, and life.
Many blessings on your upcoming birth!
To purchase my favorite and most trusted, most tested essential oils, click here.
If you need guidance in choosing the right Starter Kit for you and your family, please contact me.
