If you're like most women, you probably believe that natural, herb-based treatments are far healthier than using traditional medicines during pregnancy. But according to Dr. Jan Friedman, medical director of the March of Dimes, "natural does not always mean safe. In the case of herbal supplements, Dr. Friedman cautions that "natural really means unregulated."

Since few safety studies have been conducted on the use of herbs in pregnancy, many of the supplements you might otherwise consider safe, could have at least the potential to cause you or your baby harm. To help you quickly spot the products you should avoid, the March of Dimes offers the following list of herbs and combination supplement formulas that, for one reason or another, you should avoid during pregnancy. 

Single Herbs You Should Avoid During Pregnancy:

• Aloe
• Autumn crocus
• Black Cohosh root
• Buckthorn bark
• Buckthorn berry
• Cascara Sagrada bark
• Chaste Tree fruit
• Cinchona bark
• cinnamon bark
• Coltsfoot leaf
• Comfrey herb and leaf
• Comfrey root
• Echinacea Purpurea herb ( injectable form)
• Fennel oil and seed
• Ginger root ( in large doses)
• Indian snakeroot
• Juniper berry
• Kava Kava
• Licorice root
• Mayapple root and resin
• Parsley herb and root
• Petasites root
• Rhubarb root
• Sage leaf
• Senna leaf'
• 'Uva Ursi leaf.

Herbal Combinations to Avoid During Pregnancy

These combinations include both supplements and teas and should be avoided in any potency or form:

• Angelica root
• Gentian root and Fennel seed
• Anise oil Fennel  oil and Caraway oil
• Anise oil, Fennel oil, Licorice root and Thyme
• Anise seed, Fennel seed and Caraway seed
• Anise seed, Ivy leaf, Fennel seed, and Licorice root
• Anise seed, Marshmallow root, Eucalyptus oil and Licorice root
• Caraway oil and Fennel oil
• Caraway oil or seed, Fennel oil or seed, with or without  Chamomile flower
• Licorice root, Peppermint leaf and German Chamomile flower
• Licorice root, Primrose root, Marshmallow root, and Anise seed
• Marshmallow root, Fennel seed, Iceland Moss and Thyme
• Marshmallow root, Primrose root, Licorice root, and Thyme oil.

You should also consider avoiding all products that combine Peppermint oil or leaf  with any of the following ingredients: Fennel oil or  seed; Caraway and/or Fennel oil or  seed with or without Chamomile; Senna leaf and Caraway oil.

Currently, the National Institute of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is studying the safety and effectiveness of many common herbal preparations, including those pregnant women often turn to for relief. To keep abreast of the latest findings, visit their web site at www.NIH.gov.