Is Shea Butter safe during pregnancy?
Rich plant butter for dry skin and bellies. No pregnancy concerns identified, though it won't prevent stretch marks.
PregnancyGenerally safe
BreastfeedingGenerally safe
EvidenceLimited
What the sources say
Shea butter is a plant-based emollient. AAD recommends moisturizing regularly during pregnancy; note that AAD and a Cochrane review found no topical product proven to prevent stretch marks. No sources raise pregnancy or breastfeeding concerns. Evidence is limited.
Also listed as
butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, butyrospermum parkii butter, shea butter extract, shea oil, vitellaria paradoxa butter
Sources
- AAD: Dermatologist-approved pregnancy skin care
- AAD: Stretch marks: Why they appear and how to get rid of them
- NIH PubMed (peer-reviewed review): Topical preparations for preventing stretch marks in pregnancy (Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2012)
Last reviewed . This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor or midwife about your own situation.