Pregnancy and Essential Oil Use
Oils to avoid during pregnancy and lactation — toxic components
Information from Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young’s Essential Oil Safety book, second edition.
- Anise, Pimpinella anisum — trans-anethole
- Anise (star), Illicium verum — trans-anethole
- Araucaria, Neocallitropsis pancheri — beta-eudesmol
- Artemisia vestita, Artemisia vestita — alpha + beta-thujone
- Atractylis, Atractyllodes lancea — beta-elemene + beta-eudesmol
- Birch (sweet), Betula lenta — methyl salicylate
- Black Seed, Nigella sativa — thymoquinone
- Buchu (diosphenol ct.), Agathosma betulina ct. diosphenol — alpha + beta-pulegone
- Buchu (pulegone ct.), Agathosma crenulara ct. pulegone — beta-pulegone
- Calamint (lesser), Calamintha nepeta — beta-pulegone
- Carrot Seed, Daucus carota — not identified
- Cassia, Cinnamomum cassia — not identified
- Chaste Tree, Vitex agnus castus — not identified
- Cinnamon Bark, Cinnamomum verum — not identified
- Costus, Saussurea costus — costunolide + dehydrocostus lactone
- Cypress (blue), Callitris intratropica — beta-eudesmol
- Dill Seed (Indian), Anethum sowa — apiole (dill)
- Fennel (bitter), Foeniculum vulgare — trans-anethole
- Fennel (sweet), Foeniculum vulgare — trans-anethole
- Feverfew, Tanacetum parthenium — camphor
- Genipi, Artemisia genepi — alpha-thujone
- Hibawood, Thujopsis dolobrata — beta-thujaplicin
- Ho Leaf (camphor ct.), Cinnamomum camphora ct. camphor — camphor
- Hyssop (pinocamphone ct.), Hyssopus officinalis ct. pinocamphone — pinocamphones
- Lanyana, Artemisia afra — alpha + beta-thujone
- Lavender (Spanish), Lavandula stoechas — camphor
- Mugwort (camphor/thujone ct.), Artemisia vulgaris ct. camphor/thujone — alpha-thujone
- Mugwort (chrysanthenyl acetate ct.), Artemisia vulgaris ct. chrysanthenyl acetate — alpha + beta-thujone
- Mugwort (great), Artemisia arborescens — beta-thujone
- Myrrh, Commiphora myrrha — beta-elemene + furanodiene
- Myrtle (aniseed), Backhousia anisata — trans-anethole
- Oregano, Origanum vulgare — not identified
- Parsley Leaf, Petroselinum crispum — apiole (dill) + possibly p-menthatriene
- Parsley Seed, Petroselinum crispum — apiole (parsley)
- Pennyroyal, Hedeoma pulegioides, Mentha pulegium — beta-pulegone
- Rue, Ruta graveolens — not identified
- Sage (Dalmatian), Salvia officinalis — alpha + beta-thujone
- Sage (Spanish), Salvia lavandulifolia — sabinyl acetate
- Savin, Juniperus sabina — sabinyl acetate
- Tansy, Tanacetum vulgare — alpha + beta-thujone
- Thuja, White Cedar, Thuja occidentalis — alpha + beta-thujone
- Western Red Cedar, Thuja plicata — alpha + beta thujone
- Wintergreen, Gaultheria fragrantissima — methyl salicylate
- Wormwood (all chemotypes), Artemisia absinthium — thujones + sabinyl acetate
- Wormwood (sea), Artemisia maritime — alpha-thujone
- Wormwood (white), Artemisia herba-alba — alpha + beta-thujone + camphor
- Yarrow (green), Achillea nobilis — sabinyl acetate
- Zedoary, Curcuma zedoaria — not identified
Oils that should be restricted during pregnancy and lactation — toxic constituents — maximum dermal dose*
Information from Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young’s Essential Oil Safety book, second edition.
- Basil (lemon), Ocimum x citriodorum — citral — 1.4%
- Boswellia papyrifera — octyl acetate — 1.7%
- Champaca (Orange) Absolute, Michelia champaca — 2-phenylethanol — 17.5%
- Lemon Balm (Australian), Eucalyptus staigeriana — citral — 3.4%
- Lemon Leaf, Citrus x limon — citral — 1.2%
- Lemongrass, Cymbopogon citratus — citral — 0.7%
- May Chang, Litsea cubeba — citral — 0.8%
- Melissa, Melissa officinals — citral — 0.9%
- Myrtle (honey), Maleleuca teretifolia — citral — 0.9%
- Myrtle (lemon), Backhousia citriodora — citral — 0.7%
- Nasturtium Absolute, Tropaeolum majus — benzyl isothiocyanate — 0.26%
- Tea Tree (lemon-scented), Leptospermum peteronii — citral — 0.8%
- Thyme (lemon), Thymus lanuginosus var. citriodorum — citral — 3.7%
- Verbena (lemon), Aloysia citriodora — citral — 0.9%
* Calculated to allow for whole-body, once-daily application. This limit was determined for skin sensitization, and also a safe concentration in pregnancy.