Licorice and Preterm Labor
Are herbal remedies okay during pregnancy?
by the Babble Staff
November 3, 2006
Licorice and Preterm Labor
THE BABBLE TAKE
Herbal remedies can be powerful stuff. This is great news if you're the type who takes oregano oil to avert an oncoming cold. But not everything natural is good for you. Herbal teas and natural remedies aren't regulated and often lack warnings. Much like conventional medicine, certain herbs can be dangerous when taken in heavy doses or at inappropriate times. There has been insufficient medical research in the area, but one herbal substance that has found to be associated with preterm labor is licorice. One Finnish study conducted out of the University of Helsinki found heavy licorice consumption to be linked to a large number of preterm births in Finland. Some women drink tea containing licorice root to help with constipation. Doctors say pregnant women should stay away from such herbal teas. In general, experts say, if you are pregnant, run any remedies you might want to take — herbal or not — by your doctor. And keep your hands out of that box of licorice candy until after giving birth.
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Pregnancy Today
"Many people have turned to holistic approaches to health care, which include the use of herbs, as an alternative to traditional medicine. There are some herbs, however, that shouldn't be used during pregnancy because of what they do to reproductive organs or because of naturally-occurring substances found in them."
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National Institute of Health
"Heavy licorice (glycyrrhizin) consumption has been associated with shorter gestation. The aim of the present study was to test whether this association also applies to preterm ([fewer than] thirty-seven weeks) births. [. . .] Heavy consumption versus a lower level of consumption was associated with a more than twofold increased risk of preterm delivery."
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Natural Health
"The herb licorice may increase the risk of premature delivery. A recent study of Finnish women found that heavy licorice eaters [. . .] were twice as likely to give birth before thirty-eight weeks than women who ate little or no licorice. Licorice affects hormone production in the adrenal glands and has caused low potassium levels, high blood pressure, and other complications in some people."
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Dr. Greene
"Pregnant women who eat lots of black licorice may be at increased risk of pre-term labor, according to a study in the June 2001 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology. Licorice is very popular among pregnant women in some parts of Europe . Women who consumed at least 2.5 packages in a week were more than twice as likely to deliver prematurely compared to women who ate little or no licorice."
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National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
"Pregnant women should avoid using licorice as a supplement or consuming large amounts of licorice as food, as some research suggests it could increase the risk of preterm labor."
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