BREASTFEEDING

From the Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association (March-April 2000 page 240):

Common Herbs to Avoid While Breastfeeding:

• Aloe
• Black Cohosh
• Buckthorn
• Cascara Sagrada
• Kava Kava
• Ma Huang
• Sage
• Senna
• Wintergreen

Avoid excessive cocoa, coffee, and tea.

Herbs that traditionally stimulate milk flow:

• Caraway
• Celery
• Chaste Berry Tree
• Fennel
• Fenugreek
• Goat's Rue
• Raspberry
• Rauwolfia
• Verbena

Herbs that traditionally reduce milk flow:

• Castor Bean
• Jasmine Flower
• Sage

PREGNANCY

Medicinal Herbs to be used with caution during pregnancy:

• Agave americana
• Angelica archangelica
• Angelica sylvestris
• Anthemis nobilis (Roman chamomille)
• Apium graveolens (Celery)
• Arctium lappa (Burdock)
• Arcostaphylos uva-ursi leaves (Bearberry)
• Artemesia vulgaris (Mugwort)
• Berberis vulgaris
• Calendula officinalis (Pot marigold)
• Capsella bursa-pastoris ( Sheperd's purse)
• Caulophyllum thallictroides
• Chelidonium majus
• Cichorum intybus (Chicory)
• Cinchoma
• Cinnamomu cassia (Cassia)
• Citrus (Lemon and grapefruit)
• Commiphora myrrha (Myrrh)
• Crocus
• Dryopteris
• Ferula asafoetida
• Gossypium herbaceum (Cotton)
• Heracietum lanatum (Cow parsnip)
• Hibiscus roas-senensis flower ( Rose of China)
• Hydocotyle asiatica (Gotu Kola)
• Hydrastis canadenesis
• Hypericum perforatum (St John's Wort)
• Hyssopus officinalis (Hyssop)
• Jateorhiza palmata (Columba)
• Juniperis communis
• Ledum palustre (Marsh Tea)
• Leonurus cardiaca (Motherswort)
• Marrubium vulgare (Horehound)
• Matricaria chamomile (German chamomile)
• Medicago sativa (Alfalfa)
• Melissa officinalis (Balm)
• Mentha piperita (Peppermint)
• Nasturtium officianal (Watercress)
• Nepeta cataria (Catnip)
• Ocymum basilicum (Basil)
• Origanum margorana (Marjoram - sweet)
• Origanum vulgare (Wild Majoram)
• Oxalis acetosella (Wood sorrel)
• Paeonia officinalis (Peony)
• Phytolacca decandra
• Piper nigrum (Black pepper)
• Plantago (Plantain)
• Polygonum aviculare (Knot grass)
• Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)
• Ruta graveolens
• Salvia officinalis
• Sanguisorba canadensis
• Santalum album (Sandalwood)
• Silybum marianum (Milk thistle)
• Tanacetum parthenium and vulgare (Feverfew)
• Thuja occidentalis
• Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fenugreek)
• Turnera (Damiana)
• Tussilago farfara (Coltsfoot)
• Urtica dioica (stinging nettles)
• Zingiber officinale (Ginger)

From the Eclectic Dispensatory of Botanical Therapeutics

Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy (by S Mills and K Bone)

Medications that have been associated with birth defects:

• Androgens like DHEA, testosterone
• Iodides
• Lithium
• ACE-I
• High dose of vitamin A (not beta-carotene)