When
a woman is pregnant, she is often advised by a doctor to be extra cautious with
her food and drug intake as well as cosmetic products applied to the skin. It
is because during pregnancy, whatever the mother takes internally or externally
could reach the fetus through the placenta. The same is also true for
breastfeeding mothers. The mother’s daily diet can affect the nutritional
content of the breast milk.
It
is no wonder that women often ask if it is safe to use essential oils while
pregnant or breastfeeding. The primary concern comes from the fact that
essential oil constituents (chemical compounds) can enter a mother’s
bloodstream and can eventually reach the fetus or affect breast milk production.
Some essential oil constituents are believed to be:
Fetotoxic –
can have toxic effect to the developing fetus
Teratogenic – can cause congenital malformation (birth
defect)
Emmenagogue – can stimulate menstruation (which can abort
pregnancy)
The
following table lists essential oils that should be avoided throughout
pregnancy and breastfeeding. These essential oils contain chemical compounds
that are either fetotoxic, teratogenic or emmenagogue.
ESSENTIAL
OIL
|
LATIN
NAME
|
Anise
|
Pimpinella
anisum
|
Anise (Star)
|
Illicium
verum
|
Araucaria
|
Neocallitropsis
pancheri
|
Artemisia
|
Artemisia
vestita
|
Atractylis
|
Atractylylodes
lancea
|
Birch
(Sweet)
|
Betula
lenta
|
Black
Seed
|
Nigella
sativa
|
Buchu
|
Agathosma
betulina ct. diosphenol
|
Buchu
|
Agathosma crenulata ct. pulegone
|
Calamint
(lesser)
|
Calamintha
nepeta
|
Carrot
Seed
|
Daucus
carota, Daucus carota subspecies sativa
|
Cassia
|
Cinnamomum
cassia,
Cinnamomum aromaticum |
Chaste Tree
|
Vitex
ugnus castus
|
Cinnamon Bark
|
Cinnamomum
verum,
Cinnamomum zeylanicum |
Costus
|
Saussurea
costus
|
Cypress (Blue)
|
Calitris
intratopica
|
Dill Seed (Indian)
|
Anethum
graveolens
|
Fennel (Bitter)
|
Foeniculum
vulgare
|
Fennel (Sweet)
|
Foeniculum
vulgare
|
Feverfew
|
Tanacetum
parthenium
|
Genipi
|
Artemisia
genepi
|
Hibawood
|
Thujopsis
dolobratta
|
Ho
Leaf
|
Cinnamomum camphora
|
Hyssop
|
Hyssopus officinalis
|
Lanyana
|
Citrus aurantifolia
|
Lavender
(Spanish) **
|
Lavandula stoechas
|
Mugwort
(common)
|
Artemisia vulgaris chemotypes camphor, thujone
|
Mugwort
(common)
|
Artemisia vulgaris chemotypes chrysanthenyl, acetate
|
Mugwort
(great)
|
Artemesia aborescens
|
Myrrh
|
Commiphora myrrha,
Cammiphora molmol |
Myrtle
(aniseed)
|
Backhousia anisata
|
Oregano
|
Origanum vulgare,
Origanium onites |
Parsley
Leaf
|
Petroslinum sativum, Petroseliunum
crispum
|
Parsley
Seed
|
Petroslinum sativum, Petroseliunum
crispum
|
Pennyroyal
|
Mentha pulegium, Hedeoma
pulegioides, Micromeria fruiticosa
|
Rue
|
Ruta graveolens
|
Sage
(Dalmatian)
|
Salvia officinalis
|
Sage (Spanish)
|
Salvia
lavandulaefolia
|
Savin
|
Juniperus
sabina
|
Tarragon
|
Tanacetum
vulgare
|
Thuja
|
Thuja
occidentalis
|
Western Red Cedar
|
Thuja
plicata
|
Wintergreen
|
Gaultheria
procumbens,
Gaultheria fragrantissima |
Wormwood
|
Artemisia
absinthium
|
Wormwood (Sea)
|
Artemisia
martima
|
Wormwood (White)
|
Artemisia
herba-alba
|
Yarrow (Green)
|
Achillea
nobilis
|
Zeodary
|
Curcuma
sedoria
|
Table Source: Tisserand & Young, 2014, p. 160 – 161
**
Take note that English Lavender or True Lavender, with a Latin name of Lavandula angustifolia, is safe to use
during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
The
following table lists essential oils that can be used safely as long as the
maximum dermal limit is followed when applied topically (on skin). These essential oils can also be safely used via
inhalation and diffusion.
The following table lists essential oils that you can safely use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
* Safe for breastfeeding but not for
pregnancy
** Safe for pregnancy but not for breastfeeding
Tips for Safely Using Essential Oils during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
1. While pregnant or breastfeeding, it is not recommended to ingest any essential oils (even those that are considered safe).
2. Diffusion and steam inhalation are safe method of using essential oils while pregnant or breastfeeding. However, it is best to only diffuse or inhale essential oils “when it’s really needed” (e.g. to beat morning sickness). Also, diffusing essential oils should not be more than 1 hour in a day.
3. When using pregnancy and breastfeeding safe essential oils for dermal application, the safe dosing should not be more than 1% dilution (less is better).
ESSENTIAL
OIL
|
LATIN
NAME
|
MAX.
DERMAL USE LEVEL
|
Basil
(Lemon)
|
Ocimum x citriodorum
|
1.4%
|
Champaca
(Orange) Absolute
|
Michelia champaca
|
17.5%
|
Frankincense
(Sudanese)
|
Boswellia papyrifera
|
1.7%
|
Lemon
Balm (Australian)
|
Eucalyptus staigeriana
|
3.4%
|
Lemon
Leaf
|
Citrus x limon
|
1.2%
|
Lemongrass
|
Cymbopogon flexuosus
|
0.7%
|
May Chang
|
Litsea cubeba, Litsea citriata,
Laurus cubeba |
0.8%
|
Melissa
|
Melissa
officinalis
|
0.9%
|
Myrtle
(Honey)
|
Melaleuca teretifolia
|
0.9%
|
Myrtle
(Lemon)
|
Backhousia citriodora
|
0.7%
|
Nastrurtium
Absolute
|
Tropaeolum majus
|
0.26%
|
Tea
Tree (lemon-scented)
|
Leptospermum petersonii
|
0.8%
|
Thyme
(Lemon)
|
Thymus x citriodorus
|
3.7%
|
Verbena
(Lemon)
|
Aloysia triphylla
|
0.9%
|
Table Source: Tisserand & Young, 2014, p. 164
The following table lists essential oils that you can safely use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
ESSENTIAL
OIL
|
LATIN
NAME
|
Amyris
|
Amyris balsamifera
|
Balsam Fir
|
Abies balsamea
|
Bergamot
|
Citrus bergamia
|
Black Pepper
|
Piper nigrum
|
Blue Tansy
|
Tanacetum annuum
|
Cedarwood (Atlantica, Himalayan,
Virginian)
|
Cedrus atlantica, Cedrus deodara,
Juniperus virginiana
|
Chamomile (German, Roman)
|
Matricaria chamomilla, Chamaemelum
nobile
|
Citronella
|
Cymbopogon winterianus
|
Clary Sage *
|
Salvia sclarea
|
Copaiba Balsam
|
Copaifera officinalis
|
Coriander
|
Coriandrum sativum
|
Cypress
|
Cupressus sempervirens
|
Dill
Weed
|
Anethum graveolens
|
Eucalyptus
Globulus **
|
Eucalyptus globulus
|
Fir
Needle
|
Abies sibirica
|
Fragonia
|
Agonis fragrans
|
Frankincense
(Carteri, Frereana)
|
Boswellia carteri, Boswellia
frereana
|
Geranium
(Bourbon, Egyptian)
|
Pelargonium x asperum
|
Grapefruit
|
Citrus x paradisi
|
Helichrysum
(Italicum, Splendidum)
|
Helichrysum italicum, Helichrysum
splendidum
|
Juniper
Berry
|
Juniperus communis
|
Lavandin
|
Lavandula x intermedia
|
Lavender (English)
|
Lavandula angustifolia
|
Lemon
|
Citrus x limon
|
Lemon Eucalyptus
|
Corymbia citriodora
|
Mandarin
|
Citrus reticulata
|
Marjoram
|
Origanum majorana
|
Neroli
|
Citrus x aurantium
|
Orange (Sweet)
|
Citrus sinensis
|
Orange (Blood)
|
Citrus sinensis
|
Palmarosa
|
Cymbopogon martini
|
Patchouli
|
Pogostemon cablin
|
Petitgrain
|
Citrus x aurantium
|
Pine
|
Pinus sylvestris
|
Rosalina
|
Melaleuca ericifolia
|
Rosemary **
|
Rosmarinus officinalis
|
Sandalwood
|
Santalum spicatum
|
Spearmint
|
Mentha spicata
|
Spruce
|
Picea mariana
|
Tangerine
|
Citrus reticulata
|
Tea
Tree
|
Melaleuca alternifolia
|
Vetiver
|
Vetiveria zizanioides
|
** Safe for pregnancy but not for breastfeeding
Tips for Safely Using Essential Oils during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
1. While pregnant or breastfeeding, it is not recommended to ingest any essential oils (even those that are considered safe).
2. Diffusion and steam inhalation are safe method of using essential oils while pregnant or breastfeeding. However, it is best to only diffuse or inhale essential oils “when it’s really needed” (e.g. to beat morning sickness). Also, diffusing essential oils should not be more than 1 hour in a day.
3. When using pregnancy and breastfeeding safe essential oils for dermal application, the safe dosing should not be more than 1% dilution (less is better).
1%
Dilution
|
|
5 ml (1 tsp carrier oil)
|
1 drop
|
10 ml (2 tsp carrier oil)
|
3 drops
|
15 ml (3 tsp carrier oil)
|
4 drops
|
30 ml (6 tsp carrier oil)
|
9 drops
|
4. Avoid
using any essential oils during the critical first trimester of the
pregnancy.
5. If
your pregnancy is considered “high risk”, it is best idea to consult first a
medical professional or a certified aromatherapist before using any essential
oils.
6. Always
read the Latin name (botanical name) indicated on the essential oil bottles.
This is important due to the fact that some essential oils with same common
name but different botanical name might not have the same safety issues. For
example, Lavender (Lavandula stoechas) is not safe for pregnancy and
breastfeeding while Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is safe.
In
summary, one must be extra cautious when using certain essential oils while
pregnant or breastfeeding as they could either affect the fetus or diminish
breast milk supply. There are a couple of essential oils that can be safely
used as long as safe dilution rate is followed (for dermal application). When
in doubt, always consult first a doctor or a certified aromatherapist before
using any essential oils.
References:
Essential
Oils During Conception, Pregnancy and Beyond. Retrieved from https://www.tisserand.com/blog/wellbeing/aromatherapy-conception-pregnancy-birth/
Lavender
Oil and Pregnancy. Retrieved from https://roberttisserand.com/2011/07/lavender-oil-and-pregnancy/
Peppermint
and Breastfeeding – Results of Poll. Retrieved from https://tisserandinstitute.org/peppermint-and-breastfeeding-results-of-poll/
Tisserand, R. and Young, R.
(2014). Essential Oil Safety (2nd
ed.). London: Elsevier.
P.S.
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