Is it safe to use essential oils while I'm pregnant?

It's best to be cautious with essential oils during pregnancy. It’s probably safe to use some oils, as long as you're healthy, but choose your oils carefully and use them sparingly.

Essential oils are highly concentrated substances extracted from plants, used in aromatherapy. The oils contain chemicals that can be absorbed into your body. You can absorb them in different ways:

• Through your skin. Essential oils can be diluted with a base or carrier oil for massaging, or dropped into a warm bath.
• Via your respiratory system, when you breathe them in. Essential oils can be put in a vaporiser to release droplets into the air.

We don't have enough research to say how essential oils affect babies in the uterus (womb). Anything you take into your body may reach your baby and it’s possible that traces of the oils can cross the placenta. That’s why it’s best to be cautious, and talk to your doctor or midwife before using essential oils.

But many people find aromatherapy and massages helpful during pregnancy, especially for:

• nausea
• backache
• swollen ankles
• anxiety

If you want to book an aromatherapy massage, ensure your therapist is trained and experienced in aromatherapy treatments that are safe in pregnancy.

Your bump shouldn’t be massaged in the first trimester, and some therapists won't do any treatments during this time. If you want to use essential oils, you may want to follow their lead, and wait until your second trimester.

Be sure to buy high-quality oils from a reputable supplier. Then take the following precautions:

• Always dilute the essential oil in a base oil. Grapeseed oil or sweet almond oil work well as base oils. Mix one drop of essential oil with at least a teaspoon (5ml) of a base oil before you smooth it over your skin. Mix three drops with a base oil before adding it to your bath.
• Try not to use one particular oil for a long period of time, such as every day for several weeks.
• You can add drops of the oil to a vaporiser, but don't leave it on for longer than 10 or 15 minutes in each hour.

Oils that may be safe for you to use
As long as your pregnancy is going well, it's probably fine for you to use:

• German and Roman chamomile
• common lavender
• mandarin or tangerine
• neroli
• peppermint
• ylang ylang

There‘s a lot of confusion over the safety of lavender essential oil in pregnancy. That's because lavender can be used to regulate periods. Rest assured that this doesn’t mean using it in pregnancy raises the risk of miscarriage.

Oils that aren’t safe for you to use
Don't use the following essential oils while you’re pregnant:

• angelica
• aniseed
• basil
• camphor
• cinnamon leaf
• citronella
• clary sage
• cumin
• juniper
• laurel
• rosemary
• thyme

Clary sage can be a great way to get labour started if used by a trained midwife and you’re overdue. But don't use clary sage oil yourself, because you could use too much and make your contractions over-powerful.

In some circumstances, it's best not to use essential oils at all. Don't use any oils if you:

• have a history of miscarriage
• have had any vaginal bleeding in this pregnancy
• have epilepsy
• have heart problems
• have diabetes, blood clotting problems, or thyroid, liver or kidney disease
• are taking antibiotics or antihistamines, because the oils may interfere with the way the medicines work

Find out more about complementary therapies in pregnancy:

• evening primrose oil
• aromatherapy
• herbal remedies
• yoga
• other complementary therapies

Reviewed for BabyCenter Australia by Hannah Dahlen, midwife and lecturer.