Is Lavender Oil safe during pregnancy?
Common calming scent. Little is known about safety in pregnancy; while nursing, avoid applying it around the breast.
What the sources say
NCCIH says little is known about whether lavender is safe in pregnancy or breastfeeding. LactMed notes a meta-analysis found lavender aromatherapy, cream or tea improved postpartum sleep, but lavender oil has estrogen-like and anti-androgen activity, so avoid applying it around the breast while nursing. Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas) is rich in camphor, which a review advises avoiding. Ask your clinician about concentrated use in pregnancy.
Also listed as
lavandin oil, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, lavandula angustifolia oil, lavandula hybrida oil, lavandula officinalis oil, lavender, lavender essential oil
Sources
- NIH NCCIH: Lavender: Usefulness and Safety
- NIH LactMed: Lavender - Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed)
- NIH PubMed (peer-reviewed review): Maternal Reproductive Toxicity of Some Essential Oils and Their Constituents (Int J Mol Sci, 2021)
Last reviewed . This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor or midwife about your own situation.