Is it Safe to Take Aloe Vera When You're Pregnant?

Pregnancy is a wonderful thing

Aloe vera offers a lot of health benefits, both externally and internally. Its multiple uses can be traced back from Cleopatra’s time.

Yup, she was a big fan! She used it as her moisturizer. The plant is not only used to moisturize dry skin or speed up hair growth but it can also help support the immune system and improve overall well-being.

While it is true that aloe vera is generally safe, it also has its share of side effects and health consequences.

If you have been taking the juice for the past couple of years and now you are expecting, is it safe to assume that aloe vera during pregnancy won’t post any complications?

There have been a lot of talks and controversies regarding the oral effects of aloe vera juice, especially when taken by a pregnant woman.

Is aloe vera safe or not during pregnancy

I cannot tell you whether it is perfectly safe or not because there is not enough scientific evidence to prove or refute such health claims.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, ingesting aloe vera is possibly not safe during pregnancy because of a heightened risk of uterine contractions and drops in blood sugar.

This is pretty much referenced to the laxative effects of aloe vera products.

Any laxative product that contains aloin and barbaloin can lower electrolyte levels and this is not beneficial if you are pregnant.

There are claims that small doses won’t cause any harm, in fact, others believe that aloe vera during pregnancy can even benefit a woman because of Aloe’s ability to regulate stomach acids and provide great support to digestive function.

As we all know, most women are constipated during pregnancy so taking aloe vera is their form of relief.

Now, do you see the conflicting views? Again, there is not enough scientific evidence to prove whether aloe vera during pregnancy is safe or unsafe.

What about breastfeeding?

Some experts say that if you drink aloe vera juice, it can be passed through breast milk to the baby and you know very well that a baby cannot tolerate aloe vera and it can cause diarrhea, vomiting or constipation.

The best thing for you to do is to talk to a physician before continuing or starting oral aloe vera supplementation.

It would also help if you can ask other pregnant women if they have any experiences regarding supplementation of aloe vera during pregnancy.

There are many online forums that you can join in as well so you definitely have to take advantage of this. Trust me; you will feel a lot better once you get to converse with your fellow expectant moms.

What other things do you have to avoid when pregnant?

You should not drink Alcohol as it has a multitude of negative effects on your developing baby depending on the dose and frequency.

FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) is possibly the worst-case scenario as it can lead to retardation and certain abnormalities.

-You should not smoke or be around people who do. Smoking and exposure to smoke can result in spontaneous abortion, pre-term births, low-weight babies and fetal deaths. Those are reasons enough to quit, right?

Smoking is a big No-no!

• Illegal Drugs. Need I say more?
• Do not take OTC or prescription drugs including Aspirin unless directed by a doctor.

Do not eat junk food.

This is really difficult especially when you have every excuse to finally eat whatever you want because you are pregnant.

Junk foods hardly have any nutrients in them; they take up a room so you may want to lay low on the chips and make room for more nutritious foods. Junk Foods hardly have any nutrients in them.

***Remember, if you are uncertain about something, just like aloe vera during pregnancy, you can always consult your health care provider.

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