Is Rosemary Tea Safe During Pregnancy?

No, rosemary tea is best avoided during pregnancy because rosemary extract may interfere with early implantation, although this possible effect has not been established in humans. The precaution applies to drinking rosemary tea, not to the ordinary use of rosemary as a food seasoning.

What is the short answer on rosemary tea and pregnancy?

There is not enough evidence to establish that rosemary tea is safe during pregnancy. The available concern comes from research on a rosemary extract, not from a study showing that rosemary tea harms a pregnancy.

In a 1996 study in pregnant rats, researchers found no statistically significant increase in pregnancy loss or fetal malformations after giving the animals rosemary extract. They did observe a higher rate of loss before implantation in one group, but the difference was not statistically significant. The researchers suggested a possible effect on implantation.

That finding is uncertain, and a rat study cannot establish what would happen in a pregnant person. It also cannot show that drinking a cup of rosemary tea causes a miscarriage. Because the tea itself has not been adequately studied in pregnancy, avoiding it is a precaution rather than proof that it is harmful.

If you have already had some, do not assume that you or your pregnancy has been harmed. Stop drinking it for now and ask your prenatal care clinician for advice if you are concerned.

Why might rosemary tea be unsafe during pregnancy?

When rosemary leaves are steeped, some of their compounds pass into the water. The amount in a cup can vary with the product, the amount of rosemary and how it is prepared. Researchers have not established how those exposures affect a human pregnancy.

The extract used in the rat study was a research preparation, not a typical cup of rosemary tea. Its results cannot be converted into a safe or unsafe number of cups. The possible effect on implantation was also not statistically confirmed, so it should not be presented as a proven effect of rosemary tea.

Rosemary used in ordinary amounts to season food is different from an herbal tea or a concentrated product. Normal culinary use is generally not a reason for alarm, but that does not establish the safety of drinking rosemary tea regularly during pregnancy.

Rosemary essential oil, extracts and supplements are also different from tea and may be much more concentrated. Do not swallow rosemary essential oil or use concentrated rosemary products during pregnancy unless your clinician specifically advises you to do so.

How much rosemary tea is safe during pregnancy?

No safe amount of rosemary tea has been established for pregnancy. There is no evidence-based number of cups, amount of leaves or steeping time that can be recommended as safe. A weak brew or occasional use has not been shown to remove the uncertainty.

The cautious choice is to avoid rosemary tea throughout pregnancy unless your prenatal care clinician gives you individualized advice. There is no pregnancy stage at which research has established that rosemary tea is safe, even though the animal study raised its particular question about early implantation.

Check the ingredient list on herbal tea blends, since rosemary may appear alongside other herbs. If a blend contains rosemary and you are unsure about it, ask your clinician or pharmacist before drinking it. A product being labeled natural, caffeine-free or suitable for general wellness does not establish that it is safe in pregnancy.

If a clinician recommends a particular product, ask which preparation and amount they mean. Do not substitute an extract, supplement or essential oil for tea, or assume that advice about food seasoning applies to a concentrated product.

When should you talk to your doctor?

Contact your prenatal care clinician if you have been drinking rosemary tea regularly, have taken a rosemary supplement or extract, or are unsure what was in a product you used. Keep the packaging or take a photo of the ingredient list so you can describe the preparation accurately.

Ask for advice if you have a pregnancy complication, a history of pregnancy loss or a medical condition, or if you take prescription medicines. Your clinician can consider your circumstances and check the product; the available study does not establish a specific interaction between rosemary tea and a medicine. Do not stop prescribed medication because of an herbal product without speaking to your clinician.

Seek emergency care immediately for heavy vaginal bleeding, severe abdominal pain, fainting or severe dizziness, whether or not you have had rosemary tea. Contact your prenatal care clinician promptly about spotting or other symptoms that concern you. These symptoms need assessment rather than an assumption about their cause.

If you swallow rosemary essential oil or another concentrated product, contact a poison control center or seek urgent medical advice immediately. Do not induce vomiting unless a medical professional or poison control center tells you to.