Herbal remedies while pregnant may cause harm
September 9, 2008 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Women's Health
Herbal remedies are making it big in the developed world now that people are recognizing that many herbs do have health benefits. However, herbal and natural does not equal safe and it’s always best to know exactly what you are taking when ever you ingest an herb – especially when you are pregnant.
For example, did you know that raspberry-leaf products have been linked with pre-eclampsia, high blood pressure in pregnancy that can lead to eclampsia (or toxemia) and death? That’s just one example of a natural product that can do more harm than good.
So, if you plan on taking an herbal medicine or product, be sure to check to see what it does on all your body systems. Speak with your doctor, midwife and/or pharmacist to be sure you know what you are taking. You can read about a study that was done in the United Kingdom about pregnant women and their knowledge of herbs: Women warned of herbal remedies risk in pregnancy.
~~~
Images: Newscom & MorgueFile.com
Tags: pregnancy blog, herbal remedies, herbal remedies while pregnant, raspberry leaf, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, toxemia
