Is Chamomile Tea Safe During Pregnancy?

Avoiding certain foods and beverages is just part of pregnancy. Some things are more obvious than others, though. For example, most people know that sushi, alcohol, and large amounts of coffee are off limits. But something like a soothing cup of herbal tea? It seems pretty innocent, but the truth is, some herbal teas actually aren’t recommended throughout those nine months. If you want a cup of something warm and relaxing, you might wonder if chamomile tea is safe during pregnancy.

While a steaming mug of chamomile tea can seem ideal before bed for a pregnant woman, it actually might not be the first drink you should reach for. There aren’t enough studies or research done on the effects of certain herbs on pregnant people, so the question of whether or not chamomile tea is safe during pregnancy isn’t easy to answer. The fact is, without the research to back it up, doctors can’t say definitively if pregnant people should be drinking chamomile tea. But here’s what you should know before you dip into the chamomile tea pool.

What are the benefits of chamomile tea?

Chamomile is an herb that comes from the Asteraceae plant family. It kind of looks like daisies, and is dried and infused into hot water to make tea. It has an earthy, sweet taste, and is known to be a relaxing tea loaded with antioxidants. One of the most popular benefits of chamomile tea is that it might help you sleep better. It contains an antioxidant called apigenin that might promote sleepiness and help reduce insomnia. In fact, a 2015 study that found that postpartum women who drank chamomile tea for two weeks had better sleep quality than those who didn’t.

That same antioxidant may help fight cancer cells, like breast, skin, prostate, and uterus cancers. Some small studies done on animals have found that chamomile may help promote better digestion and reduce the risk of certain gastrointestinal conditions. More research needs to be done on humans, however.

For pregnant women, the most appealing benefits are the insomnia relief and better digestion. “Chamomile is frequently used for relaxation and to calm gastrointestinal distress, like morning sickness, although there are limited studies in humans to support the use of chamomile for these conditions,” notes Kelly Johnson-Arbor, MD, FACEP, FUHM, FACM, medical toxicologist, co-medical director, and interim executive director from the National Poison Center.

How much chamomile tea can I drink during pregnancy?

Chamomile tea doesn’t contain caffeine, which may make you think it’s fine to drink in unlimited quantities during pregnancy. Unfortunately, there’s not enough known about chamomile to say this. “The safety of chamomile tea is disputed, and because there is no strong data on its safety, it is generally not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women,” says Sunny Soroosh, certified nurse midwife and nurse practitioner at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

Avoiding chamomile completely is obviously the safest approach, just because there isn’t a lot known about it. “However, having one cup occasionally probably won't do any harm,” Soroosh adds. Johnson-Arbor agrees, saying an occasional cup is unlikely to cause significant fetal harm. If you’re concerned, always feel free to speak with your OB-GYN.

Are there risks of drinking chamomile tea while pregnant?

There may be risks of drinking chamomile tea when pregnant, but, again, there isn’t enough research to back that up. Some small studies have found that chamomile tea may be linked to pre-term labor, miscarriage, and low birth weight, and a 2020 report from the National Library of Medicine deemed it unsafe to drink during pregnancy.

Chamomile tea has also been associated with severe allergic reactions in pregnant people, notes Johnson-Arbor, as well as heart problems in the newborn.

At the end of the day, the guidance on whether or not chamomile tea is safe during pregnancy is a little confusing. Because there hasn’t been enough research done on it, doctors and other experts are hesitant to say it’s completely safe or that it’s something that needs to be avoided completely.

Experts:

Kelly Johnson-Arbor, MD, FACEP, FUHM, FACM, medical toxicologist, co-medical director, and interim executive director from the National Poison Center

Sunny Soroosh is a certified nurse midwife and nurse practitioner at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.