Can you drink chamomile while pregnant?

If you enjoy chamomile tea, pregnancy advice is a little more nuanced than a simple yes or no. The NHS includes chamomile among herbal teas and advises having no more than four cups of herbal tea a day during pregnancy. It also explains that there is not much research on the effects of herbal teas in pregnancy, which is why limiting them is the cautious approach.

That guidance applies to herbal tea as a drink. Chamomile extracts, concentrated supplements and herbal remedies are different products and should not automatically be treated in the same way.

What does the NHS say about chamomile tea in pregnancy?

Current NHS pregnancy food guidance specifically gives peppermint and chamomile as examples of herbal teas. It recommends avoiding more than four cups of herbal tea per day during pregnancy.

The reason for the limit is not that the NHS identifies an occasional cup of chamomile tea as unsafe. Rather, there is limited research into the effects of herbal teas during pregnancy, so the NHS recommends limiting the amount you drink.

The same guidance says to avoid herbal teas containing liquorice root during pregnancy.

If chamomile is one of several herbal teas you drink, remember that the four-cup recommendation applies to herbal tea overall rather than four cups of each type.

Is chamomile tea caffeine-free?

Pure chamomile tea is a herbal infusion rather than traditional tea made from the tea plant. It is generally sold as naturally caffeine-free.

That can make it appealing if you are reducing caffeine during pregnancy. The NHS recommends having no more than 200mg of caffeine per day while pregnant.

Still, check the ingredients on the tea you are actually drinking. Some products marketed as herbal or bedtime teas are blends rather than pure chamomile and may contain several different ingredients.

A mixed tea should be considered according to everything it contains, not simply the word “chamomile” on the front of the box.

Why is there caution around herbal teas during pregnancy?

“Herbal” and “natural” do not automatically mean that a product has been well studied during pregnancy.

The NHS says there is not much research on the effects of herbal teas during pregnancy. Its medicines guidance also notes that not all natural remedies or complementary therapies are safe in pregnancy and advises discussing herbal remedies with a midwife, doctor or pharmacist.

This distinction matters because drinking a cup of commercially prepared chamomile tea is not the same as taking a concentrated chamomile extract, capsule, tincture or other herbal preparation.

If you are considering chamomile as a remedy for a pregnancy symptom rather than simply having it as a drink, speak to a healthcare professional first. Pregnancy symptoms can have different causes, and a herbal product should not replace appropriate assessment or treatment.

Check what is actually in your chamomile tea

A box labelled “chamomile” may contain only chamomile, but blends can include other herbs, flavourings and plant extracts.

Read the ingredient list, especially with teas marketed for sleep, relaxation, digestion or wellbeing. The NHS specifically advises avoiding herbal teas containing liquorice root during pregnancy.

If you do not recognise an ingredient or cannot find reliable pregnancy guidance for it, ask your pharmacist, midwife or GP. This is particularly useful for imported teas, loose herbal mixtures or products with long ingredient lists.

It is also worth distinguishing an ordinary tea bag from concentrated herbal products. Extracts and supplements can contain very different quantities of plant compounds from a cup of tea.

What about chamomile supplements and herbal remedies?

Chamomile supplements, tinctures, extracts and medicinal herbal preparations should not be assumed to have the same guidance as chamomile tea.

The NHS advises checking with a healthcare professional before using medicines during pregnancy and says not all natural remedies are safe. Its guidance also advises against taking herbal remedies if you are trying to get pregnant.

The NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service takes a cautious approach to complementary products during pregnancy and states that herbal products should generally be avoided unless their benefits outweigh the risks.

If you already use a chamomile-containing remedy or supplement, tell your midwife, GP or pharmacist what the product is and show them the packaging if possible. They can consider the specific ingredients and formulation rather than relying on general advice about chamomile tea.

What if you have already drunk chamomile tea?

If you have already had chamomile tea, the NHS guidance does not say that a small amount needs emergency action simply because it contains chamomile.

For pregnancy foods and drinks that should be limited or avoided, the NHS says that if you have already had a small amount, it is unlikely to affect your baby if you did not become unwell. It advises speaking to your midwife or GP if you are worried or develop symptoms.

If you have been drinking large amounts of herbal tea regularly, or the product contains ingredients other than chamomile that you are unsure about, mention this to your midwife, GP or pharmacist.

Choosing drinks during pregnancy

You do not need to make every drink choice complicated. Water and pasteurised milk are straightforward options, and some people use decaffeinated tea or coffee to reduce their caffeine intake.

If you like herbal tea, keeping within NHS guidance and checking the ingredient list gives you a practical way to approach it.

Remember that herbal teas are not all interchangeable. Different plants have different properties, and pregnancy guidance for one herb cannot automatically be applied to another.

When to get professional advice

Speak to your midwife, GP or pharmacist if you are unsure about a particular chamomile tea, regularly drink several cups of herbal tea a day, or are considering chamomile capsules, extracts, tinctures or other herbal remedies.

You should also ask for professional advice if your tea contains several herbs and you cannot establish whether all of the ingredients are suitable during pregnancy.

If you feel unwell after having a food or drink that should be avoided during pregnancy, the NHS advises getting help from NHS 111. It also recommends contacting NHS 111 if you have symptoms of food poisoning such as vomiting and diarrhoea lasting more than 48 hours, or symptoms that could suggest listeriosis or toxoplasmosis.

For a severe or life-threatening medical emergency, call 999 or go to A&E.