Ginseng is a herb commonly taken by Asian women during pregnancy and post delivery. During pregnancy, ginseng is taken to help enhance the mother’s stamina and her capacity to cope with fatigue and physical stress. She is encouraged to take it particularly during the days leading up to the delivery to help her endure the labour.

After delivery, ginseng is believed to improve cirulation, increase blood supply, revitalise and aid recovery from weakness after labour.

A lot of herbs are not recommended to be taken during pregnancy and post delivery (for mothers who are breastfeeding), so I decided to check up on where ginseng sat with all of this. A number of articles, including Medical News Today, have been published warning pregnant mothers in first trimester to avoid taking ginseng because ginsenosides in ginseng have been found to cause abnormalities in rat embryos.

Regarding the use of ginseng during lactation, Kelly Mom states that there is no data on the transfer of ginseng into human milk and while no pediatric concerns have been reported, caution is urged with the use of ginseng.

It’s also be interesting to note that Siberian ginseng does not contain ginsenosides but it contains something else called eleutherosides. There are differing schools of thought regarding the safety of eleutherosides taken by pregnant and nursing mothers. Some believe it should be avoided, while others believe it to be safe.

PCC Natural Markets state that there are no known reasons why pregnant or breastfeeding mothers should avoid eleutherosides, however they do caution against the use of ginseng containing ginsenosides such as Panax ginseng.

Dr Jay Gordon also urges extreme caution when using Panax ginseng, stating that mothers should watch their babies closely for symptoms of nervousness, shakiness, heightened anxiety, insomnia, skin rashes, and diarrhoea. Mothers should keep their pediatricians informed so that their babies heartbeat and blood pressure can be closely monitored. Additionally, Panax ginseng has been known to contribute to low milk supply. A preferred alternative for mothers looking to gain the benefits of Panax ginseng is for them to take Siberian ginseng which he considers to be safe for nursing mothers.

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