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Can I drink chamomile tea while pregnant?

Check Doola Scan's answer in the United States

Chamomile tea shows Check in Doola Scan for pregnancy in the US, UK and Australia, and Avoid in Canada, New Zealand and Ireland. Health Canada and Health NZ both name chamomile among herbal teas not to drink in pregnancy. The NHS says no more than 4 cups of herbal tea a day, and Australia's Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says to avoid chamomile in large quantities. Ireland is mixed: Doola Scan shows Avoid from the HSE's herbal tea advice, though the HSE's own list of pregnancy teas includes camomile.

Checked against Doola Scan's pregnancy rules · Updated

  • Chamomile tea bags or loose flowers

    CheckUnited StatesUnited KingdomAustraliaIrelandAvoidCanadaNew Zealand

  • Bedtime and sleep blends with chamomile

    CheckUnited StatesUnited KingdomAustraliaIrelandAvoidCanadaNew Zealand
Doola Scan checking a plate
What each country says

Chamomile tea while pregnant: what each country says.

Each country's own pregnancy guidance on chamomile tea, with a link to it. Doola Scan uses your country's first.

  • Doola has no source from the United States on this yet; its answer comes from the other countries' guidance.

  • United Kingdom

    Check
    • NHSChamomile and other herbal teas: no more than 4 cups a day in pregnancy.Source
    • NHSLittle research on herbal teas in pregnancy.Source

  • Canada

    Avoid
    • Health CanadaCanada lists chamomile among herbal teas not safe to drink in pregnancy.Source
    • Health CanadaSome herbal teas (e.g. chamomile) are unsafe; citrus peel, ginger, orange peel, rose hip are safe at 2-3 cups a day.Source

  • Australia

    Check
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Chamomile tea is fine, just not in large amounts.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Limit herbal tea to 2 cups a day; check with doctor or pharmacist.Source

  • New Zealand

    Avoid
    • Health NZChamomile is on the list of herbal teas to avoid in pregnancy.Source

  • Ireland

    Check
    • HSEGinger, peppermint, camomile and fruit teas are safe in pregnancy.Source
What to check

Before you drink chamomile tea.

  1. In Canada and New Zealand, choose another tea

    Health Canada says some herbal teas, such as chamomile, are not to be drunk in pregnancy, and names citrus peel, ginger, orange peel and rose hip teas for moderation, 2 to 3 cups a day. Health NZ lists chamomile with aloe, comfrey, pennyroyal and senna among teas to avoid. Health Canada

  2. In the UK, keep to 4 cups of herbal tea a day

    The NHS says there isn't much research on herbal teas in pregnancy, and asks you not to drink more than 4 cups a day, naming chamomile and peppermint. It also asks you to avoid herbal teas containing liquorice root, so check the blend. NHS

  3. In Australia, keep it to a cup or two

    Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says to limit herbal tea to 2 cups a day and to avoid chamomile tea in large quantities. It says there is a suggestion chamomile could stimulate the uterus or affect the baby's circulation. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby

Questions

About chamomile tea
in pregnancy.

The countries differ. Doola Scan shows Check in the US, UK and Australia, with cup limits, and Avoid in Canada and New Zealand, where Health Canada and Health NZ name chamomile among teas not to drink. In Ireland it shows Avoid, though the HSE lists camomile among teas for pregnancy.

The NHS says no more than 4 cups of herbal tea a day in all. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says 2 cups a day, and to avoid chamomile in large quantities. Health Canada and Health NZ don't give a number for chamomile, because they list it among teas to avoid.

The HSE names ginger, peppermint, camomile and fruit teas as teas you can drink in pregnancy, and asks you to avoid all other herbal teas and supplements. Doola Scan currently shows Avoid in Ireland for chamomile, from that herbal tea advice.

Chamomile is a herbal tea, and Pregnancy, Birth and Baby separates herbal teas from green tea, which it says contains caffeine. Doola Scan reads chamomile tea under the herbal tea advice, not the caffeine limit.

None of these countries changes its chamomile advice by trimester. The same cup limits, or the same advice to avoid it, apply all through pregnancy.

يختلف ذلك حسب البلد. يُظهر Doola Scan الحكم Check في الولايات المتحدة والمملكة المتحدة وأستراليا، وAvoid في كندا ونيوزيلندا وأيرلندا. تقول NHS لا أكثر من 4 أكواب من شاي الأعشاب يوميًا.

Doola Scan zeigt Check in den USA, Großbritannien und Australien und Avoid in Kanada, Neuseeland und Irland. Der NHS nennt höchstens 4 Tassen Kräutertee am Tag.

Yes. Take a photo of the box, and Doola Scan checks each herb in the blend against your country's pregnancy guidance. Food scans are free, 3 a day.
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Doola shows what official guidance says; it never diagnoses. No known issues means none of these countries' pregnancy guidance names it, not a promise that a food is safe.