Mint and Pregnancy

There are several herbs that even though they are very beneficial, they better be avoided during pregnancy.

However, as several documents and opinions say, Mint Tea is not one of them; and by mint tea we are talking about mint infusions or decoctions.

According to my research, all mint formulas better be avoided during breastfeeding, while mint essential oil should be avoided also by pregnant women.

However, all opinions seem to agree that Mint Tea is safe during pregnancy (in fact, there are no facts to the contrary), while it is possibly beneficial for morning sickness and nausea.

Below you will find some informative quotes (and their source) about this issue, that you might find useful:

“Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It is LIKELY SAFE to take peppermint in amounts normally found in food during pregnancy and breast-feeding. But not enough is known about the safety of taking larger amounts used for medicine. It’s best not to take these larger amounts if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.”  [U.S. National Library of Medicine]

“Peppermint Leaf (Likely Safe) – Helpful in relieving nausea/morning sickness and flatulence.” [American Pregnancy Association]

“Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is used for the relief of indigestion and nausea, and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis and other chronic intestinal ailments. I know of no reason why women shouldn’t take it during pregnancy; many find it very useful for morning sickness.” [Andrew Weil M.D.]

“The results showed that the severity of nausea and vomiting did not differ between the two groups in 7days before and after intervention by using repeated measurement test. But during intervention, the severity of nausea showed a decreasing trend (especially in 4th night) in the mint and an increasing trend in the control group. The severity of nausea within 7 days after the intervention had a decreasing trend in both groups; however, the intensity was lower in the mint than saline group but not statically significant. No meaningful relationship has been detected during and after intervention for the intensity of vomiting.” [Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal]

“Peppermint oil is popular in the treatment of motion and sea sickness and nausea associated with pregnancy. It acts as an anesthetic to the stomach wall and eases vomiting and nausea. An account on the effects of peppermint on nausea appeared in the September 1997 issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing, in which gynecological patients were given peppermint oil to counter post-operative nausea. The patients reported less nausea and required fewer drugs to treat the nausea.” [Alternative Medicine]

Remember: Always consult your physician.

Be Well 🙂