Is Cinnamon Oil safe during pregnancy?
Cinnamon bark and cassia oils are best avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Cinnamon in food amounts is fine.
What the sources say
A 2021 review says cinnamaldehyde-rich oils such as cinnamon bark and cassia oil carry a risk of embryotoxicity and should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding. NCCIH notes cinnamon in normal food amounts appears safe in pregnancy but larger amounts are considered unsafe, and LactMed found no data in nursing. Note: cinnamal in fragrance lists is a related compound used in small amounts.
Also listed as
cassia oil, cinnamomum cassia oil, cinnamomum verum bark oil, cinnamomum zeylanicum bark oil, cinnamon bark oil, cinnamon leaf oil
Sources
- NIH PubMed (peer-reviewed review): Maternal Reproductive Toxicity of Some Essential Oils and Their Constituents (Int J Mol Sci, 2021)
- NIH NCCIH: Cinnamon: Usefulness and Safety
- NIH LactMed: Cinnamon - Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed)
Last reviewed . This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor or midwife about your own situation.