Preparing for childbirth
There are several herbs which have been famous throughout history for preparing mothers for childbirth. Herbs can shorten labour and lessen the chance for complications both throughout pregnancy and in childbirth. The most used of these is in Europe is Raspberry (Rubus idaeus). A doctor writing in the Lancet (a British medical journal) said of raspberry leaf tea: "I have encouraged expectant mothers to drink this infusion. In a great many cases labour has been free and easy from muscular spasm."
Rubus idaeus leaves have a mildly soothing, astringent and tonic action. They help to quell nausea and are slightly sedative. Most importantly, they have a particular affinity for the uterus, and act to strengthen the uterine and pelvic muscles and help to prevent miscarriages. In addition they tone the mucous membranes throughout the body, soothe the kidneys and urinary tract and help to prevent hemorrhage. They have been principally used to encourage a safe, easy and speedy childbirth, and afterwards to help milk production and speed recovery from the birth. In the uterus the action of raspberry leaves is both relaxant and astringent. The relaxant properties tend to predominate and bring about tonic relaxation of the smooth muscle of the uterus, which acts to reduce the pain of uterine contractions at labour.
Herbs to avoid during pregnancy
A literature search of the ethnopharmacology of plants used for their abortifacient or uterine stimulating actions provides a long list of plants to avoid.
These otherwise extremely useful remedies often share chemistry that in some way irritates the placenta or causes muscular contractions in the uterus. Limiting ourselves to those plants most often encountered in western Phytotherapy, the following groupings can be identified :
Bitters
All strong bitters should be excluded, with especial attention to :
Artemisia abrotanum Southernwood
Artemisia absinthium Wormwood
Artemisia vulgare Mugwort
Berberis vulgaris Barberry
Chelidonium majus Celandine
Hydrastis canadensis Golden Seal
Ruta graveolens Rue
Tanacetum parthenium Feverfew
Tanacetum vulgare Tansy
Alkaloid containing plants
Alkaloids are a diverse group of secondary plant constituents that have a wide range of pharmacological impact upon the body. The stronger representatives are to be avoided, including the caffeine containing social drugs Coffee and Tea. These include :
Berberis vulgaris Barberry
Colchicum autumnale Autumn crocus
Hydrastis canadensis Golden Seal
Podophyllum peltatum Mandrake
Sanguinaria canadensis Blood root
Sarothamnus scoparius Broom
Oil containing plants
Many of the essential oils can have a devastating impact on the placenta and foetus during pregnancy. Avoid all essential oils internally. However, the whole plant that the oil was distilled from will usually be fine if used in moderation. Important exceptions are:
Juniperus communis Juniper
Mentha pulegium Pennyroyal
Myristica officinalis Nutmeg (in large amounts)
Thuja occidentalis Arbor vitae
Anthraquinone Laxatives
The strong herbal laxatives often owe their effects to the presence of anthraquinones that stimulate peristalsis in the bowel. They may have a similar stimulating impact upon the uterus. If a laxative is needed during pregnancy it should be either a bulk or hepatic laxative.
Cassia senna Senna
Rhamnus catharticus Purging Buckthorn
Rhamnus frangula Alder Buckthorn
Rhamnus purshiana Cascara Sagrada
Others
There are other plants that should be avoided which do not fit into such convenient categories. Some are listed here. Male Fern is an example of an anthelmintic remedy for the treatment of worm infestations.
Cinchona spp. Peruvian Bark
Phytolacca spp. Poke
Dryopteris felix-mas Male Fern
Gossypium herbaceum Cotton-Root
Viscum album Mistletoe
Always seek health advice from your doctor, or local Health Outlet. AcuMedic will be very pleased to offer advice regarding difficulties with this condition. Please see our  Clinic
Please note that although we are confident that our treatments will help the majority of our patients, we cannot absolutely guarantee a cure as the needs and difficulties of each patient can differ greatly
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