Cautions / Contraindications
for Use of Herbs During Pregnancy
As a general rule, herbs with potent effects to regulate qi, move blood, or drain downwards should be avoided during pregnancy.
Certain herbs have a recognized potential to endanger or cause harm to a fetus during pregnancy, thus possibly causing birth defects or miscarriage.
As a general rule, herbs with potent effects to regulate qi, move blood, or drain downwards should be avoided during pregnancy. These herbs are classified as contraindicated or use with caution in treatment of pregnant women.
Please note that this is not a comprehensive list -- additional information is listed in each herb monograph in the Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology published by AOM Press.
*Scroll horizontally to view the complete table.
| HERBS | CAUTION | CONTRAINDICATION | |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | Ba Dou (Semen Crotonis) | X | |
| Bai Fu Zi (Rhizoma Typhonii) | X | ||
| Bai Guo (Semen Ginkgo) | X | ||
| Ban Mao (Mylabris) | X | ||
| Ban Xia (Rhizoma Pinelliae) | X | ||
| Bie Jia (Carapax Trionycis) | X | ||
| Bing Lang (Semen Arecae) | X | ||
| Bing Pian (Borneolum Syntheticum) | X | ||
| Bu Gu Zhi (Fructus Psoraleae) | X | ||
| C | Cang Er Zi (Fructus Xanthii) | X | |
| Cha Chi Huang (Herba Stellariae Aquaticae) | X | ||
| Chan Su (Venenum Bufonis) | X | ||
| Chuan Niu Xi (Radix Cyathulae) | X | ||
| Chuan Xin Lian (Herba Andrographis) | X | ||
| D | Da Fu Pi (Pericarpium Arecae) | X | |
| Da Huang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei) | X | ||
| Da Ji (Herba Cirsii Japonici) | X | ||
| Dan Zhu Ye (Herba Lophatheri) | X | ||
| Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) | X | ||
| Di Long (Pheretima) | X | ||
| Ding Jing Cao (Herba Linderniae) | X | ||
| E | E Zhu (Rhizoma Curcumae) | X | |
| F | Fei Zi (Semen Torreyae) | X | |
| Fu Zi (Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata) | X | ||
| G | Gan Jiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis) | X | |
| Gan Qi (Resina Toxicodendri) | X | ||
| Gan Sui (Radix Kansui) | X | ||
| Gou Qi Zi (Fructus Lycii) | X | ||
| Guan Mu Tong (Caulis Aristolochiae Manshuriensis) | X | ||
| Gui Ban (Plastrum Testudinis) | X | ||
| H | Hai Ma (Hippocampus) | X | |
| He Huan Pi (Cortex Albiziae) | X | ||
| Hong Hua (Flos Carthami) | X | ||
| Hou Po (Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis) | X | ||
| Hu Jiao (Fructus Piperis) | X | ||
| Hu Lu Ba (Semen Trigonellae) | X | ||
| Hu Yao Huang (Herba Leucas Mollissimae) | X | ||
| Hu Zhang (Rhizoma et Radix Polygoni Cuspidati) | X | ||
| Hua Jiao (Pericarpium Zanthoxyli) | X | ||
| Hua Rui Shi (Ophicalcitum) | X | ||
| J | Ji Li (Fructus Tribuli) | X | |
| Ji Xue Cao (Herba Centellae) | X | ||
| Ji Xue Teng (Caulis Spatholobi) | X | ||
| Jiang Huang (Rhizoma Curcumae Longae) | X | ||
| Jiu Ceng Ta (Herba Ocimi Basilici) | X | ||
| Jue Ming Zi (Semen Cassiae) | X | ||
| L | Lei Gong Teng (Radix Tripterygii Wilfordii) | X | |
| Li Lu (Radix et Rhizoma Veratri) | X | ||
| Liu Huang (Sulfur) | X | ||
| Liu Ji Nu (Herba Artemisiae Anomalae) | X | ||
| Lu Cha (Folium Camelliae Viride) | X | ||
| Lu Hui (Aloe) | X | ||
| Lu Lu Tong (Fructus Liquidambaris) | X | ||
| M | Ma Bian Cao (Herba Verbenae) | X | |
| Ma Chi Xian (Herba Portulacae) | X | ||
| Ma Huang (Herba Ephedrae) | X | ||
| Ma Qian Zi (Semen Strychni) | X | ||
| Mang Xiao (Natrii Sulfas) | X | ||
| Meng Chong (Tabanus) | X | ||
| Mian Ma Guan Zhong (Rhizoma Dryopteridis Crassirhizomatis) | X | ||
| Mu Bie Zi (Semen Momordicae) | X | ||
| N | Niao Bu Su (Ramus Kalopanax Pictus) | X | |
| Niu Huang (Calculus Bovis) | X | ||
| Niu Xi (Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae) | X | ||
| P | Pao Zai Cao (Herba Physalis Angulatae) | X | |
| Pu Huang (Pollen Typhae) | X | ||
| Pu Yin (Radix Wikstroemia Indica) | X | ||
| Q | Qi Ye Lian (Radix Schefflerae) | X | |
| Qian Niu Zi (Semen Pharbitidis) | X | ||
| Qing Fen (Calomelas) | X | ||
| Quan Xie (Scorpio) | X | ||
| R | Rou Gui (Cortex Cinnamomi) | X | |
| Ru Xiang (Gummi Olibanum) | X | ||
| S | San Leng (Rhizoma Sparganii) | X | |
| San Qi (Radix et Rhizoma Notoginseng) | X | ||
| Shang Lu (Radix Phytolaccae) | X | ||
| She Gan (Rhizoma Belamcandae) | X | ||
| She Xiang (Moschus) | X | ||
| Shen Qu (Massa Fermentata) | X | ||
| Shu Wei Huang (Herba Rostellulariae) | X | ||
| Shui Zhi (Hirudo) | X | ||
| Su Mu (Lignum Sappan) | X | ||
| Suan Zao Ren (Semen Ziziphi Spinosae) | X | ||
| T | Tan Xiang (Lignum Santali Albi) | X | |
| Tao Ren (Semen Persicae) | X | ||
| Tian Hua Fen (Radix Trichosanthis) | X | ||
| Tian Xian Teng (Herba Aristolochiae) | X | ||
| Ting Li Zi (Semen Descurainiae seu Lepidii) | X | ||
| Tu Bie Chong (Eupolyphaga seu Steleophaga) | X | ||
| W | Wang Bu Liu Xing (Semen Vaccariae) | X | |
| Wu Gong (Scolopendra) | X | ||
| Wu Ling Zhi (Faeces Trogopteri) | X | ||
| X | Xi Jiao (Cornu Rhinoceri) | X | |
| Xiang Yuan (Fructus Citri) | X | ||
| Xiao Hui Xiang (Fructus Foeniculi) | X | ||
| Xin Yi Hua (Flos Magnoliae) | X | ||
| Xiong Huang (Realgar) | X | ||
| Xue Jie (Sanguis Draconis) | X | ||
| Y | Ya Dan Zi (Fructus Bruceae) | X | |
| Yi Mu Cao (Herba Leonuri) | X | ||
| Yi Yi Ren (Semen Coicis) | X | ||
| Yu Jin (Radix Curcumae) | X | ||
| Yuan Hua (Flos Genkwa) | X | ||
| Yuan Zhi (Radix Polygalae) | X | ||
| Z | Zao Jiao (Fructus Gleditsiae) | X | |
| Zao Jiao Ci (Spina Gleditsiae) | X | ||
| Zao Xiu (Rhizoma Paridis) | X | ||
| Zhang Nao (Camphora) | X | ||
| Zhe Shi (Haematitum) | X | ||
| Zhi Cao Wu (Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii Praeparata) | X | ||
| Zhi Chuan Wu (Radix Aconiti Praeparata) | X | ||
| Zhi Qiao (Fructus Aurantii) | X | ||
| Zhi Shi (Fructus Aurantii Immaturus) | X | ||
| Zhu Fan Hua Tou (Rhizoma Mirabilidis) | X | ||
| Zhu Ye (Herba Phyllostachys) | X |