Is It Safe To Consume Evening Primrose Oil During Pregnancy?

4 min read

Written by Editorial Team

Editorial Team

With a rich experience in pregnancy and parenting, our team of experts create insightful, well-curated, and easy-to-read content for our to-be-parents and parents at all stages of parenting..

Pregnancy is the blooming phase in a woman’s life. It comes with a lot of anticipation accompanied by worry and anxiety. The expecting mothers more often worry about what should be done to be safe, what to eat, what not to eat, what is beneficial vs what is harmful, what foods to avoid during pregnancy, what posture to sleep in, what exercises to be done during pregnancy. The pregnant lady needs to take care of the mother as well as the baby developing inside her as advice and suggestions start rolling in. The mother should choose the foods wisely, exercise daily, and rest well for a safer and smoother delivery.

Foods that can be consumed at this time are debatable, and one needs to know if they can be consumed or refrained from. As per the experienced and old people, some food and medicines are considered safe while some believe they will follow the doctor’s word which is the best bet as it keeps them safe. Out of all the debatable ones, evening primrose oil is undoubtedly one of them. Going forward, we will get an insight into what is evening primrose oil, its nutritional information, its benefits, its side effects, and how safe it is to be consumed during pregnancy.

In This Article

What is Evening Primrose Oil?
Nutritional Value of Evening Primrose Oil
What Are The Benefits Of Evening Primrose Oil During Pregnancy?
Is Evening Primrose Oil Safe During Pregnancy?

What is Evening Primrose Oil?

Evening primrose oil is a herbal one that is extracted from a flowering plant called evening primrose which is primarily found in the North American states.

This oil is famous for its medicinal benefits and is known for the treatment of premenstrual symptoms as well as skin disorders. It is readily available in capsule form which can be taken orally or can even be split for obtaining oil that can be used for a massage. It is quite famous for its medicinal value, especially for treating premenstrual symptoms and skin disorders.

The natives of America use the roots, seeds, and leaves as their food and even make bandages and plasters from this plant for healing the bruises or the injuries. Hemorrhoids can also be treated by making a concoction out of this oil. The leaves of the evening primrose help in treating wounds, healing sore throat issues, and can even work as a remedy for gastric problems as well. The oil from the evening primrose can even be used for treating brittle nails, and hair, and relieving PMS symptoms.

Nutritional Value of Evening Primrose Oil

The oil also works as an excellent dietary supplement as it is enriched with fatty acids, etc. which are required by the body but cannot be produced by itself so needs to take them from the food. It is even enriched in the linoleic acid that is needed by the body to produce chemicals that help in many body functions.

What Are The Benefits Of Evening Primrose Oil During Pregnancy?

Evening primrose oil is an organic one, and it offers many benefits which are listed as under, and they are as follows:

It helps in getting rid of the breast pain, the discomfort at early stages, or any complications one experiences in the first three months of pregnancy.
It is widely used for treating fertility issues.
It is believed that the oil extract also helps to improve the possibility of fertilization post ovulation.
It helps in the prevention of high blood pressure and delayed delivery.
It helps the cervix for getting ready for labor.
It helps to prevent preeclampsia and delayed labor
It helps in the prevention of tearing, which is common in labor.

What Are The Side Effects of Consuming Evening Primrose Oil?

Evening primrose oil is loaded with many benefits which have been listed before. However, it has some side effects as well, and the common ones of consuming evening primrose oil are:

Diarrhoea and stomach upset
Nausea, cramps in the abdominal area
Headache
Consumption of evening primrose oil makes the seizures more prevalent if one has a history of it
Profuse bleeding after delivery

Is Evening Primrose Oil Safe During Pregnancy?

To find the answer to this question, one must accept its answer as a combination of yes as well as no. Let us understand it further:

It is highly advised by the midwives as it helps the cervix to ripen and even helps in inducing labor. (for the same reason, untimely over intake of this oil may end up in preterm labor or abortion)
It is supposed to be of use in the first three months, but with the advancement of pregnancy, it needs to be used with proper care and attention.
As per doctors, if the pregnant lady has been using evening primrose oil before the pregnancy, she should stop it once she conceives.
It is ideal to find different sources than consuming evening primrose oil to find out the suggested dosage of important and essential fats.

Thus, after assessing both sides, it can be said that it is always an excellent option to refrain from using evening primrose oil while pregnant. It is advisable to opt for alternate natural methods for inducing labor as evening primrose might not be favorable for all as it leads to contractions. It is always recommended to get a go-ahead from the doctor and understand how safe it is for one to be taken.

When To Use Evening Primrose Oil During Pregnancy?

You can ask your doctor about using the possibilities of using this essential oil if you are overdue because evening primrose oil extracts can be used as a natural way to induce labour. However, before that, one should rule out the possibilities of allergies and drug interactions. You should also beware of the dosage. Therefore, on any occasion, intake of evening primrose oil has to be done under the supervision of your doctor.
Pregnancy is crucial, so it is best to be alert and not start taking medicines or supplement on your own. Stay safe and ask your doctor for instructions when you make your mind up to take something out of your regular diet. Pregnancy is a phase of indulgence and enjoyment. Do not go overboard to spoil it.

Editorial Team,

With a rich experience in pregnancy and parenting, our team of experts create insightful, well-curated, and easy-to-read content for our to-be-parents and parents at all stages of parenting.Read more.

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