Are Milk Thistle & Dandelion Safe During Conception?

If you're trying to conceive a baby, you likely want to ensure that you're not using any foods, herbs or medications that could damage your chances of conceiving or that could harm your early pregnancy. Milk thistle and dandelion are common herbal remedies for liver problems, but they may not be safe for use in pregnancy. Avoid them during conception.

Conception

If you're trying to conceive a baby, you're not yet pregnant. Still, you won't likely know exactly when you become pregnant, which is an important reason to avoid foods, herbs and medications that could harm your embryo if you're trying to conceive. According to Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel in their book "What To Expect When You're Expecting," most women don't know they're pregnant until at least 4 weeks of gestational age, and many don't know until 6 or 8 weeks.

Milk Thistle

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, milk thistle is a traditional herbal remedy for liver problems. Some practitioners of alternative medicine, for instance, recommend it for cirrhosis. The university website notes that there are a few studies supporting the use of milk thistle for liver problems but that the studies have some methodological errors, so there really isn't strong scientific support for milk thistle use. They note that you shouldn't use it during pregnancy.

Dandelion

According to the American Pregnancy Association, dandelion is commonly used in conjunction with milk thistle to treat liver problems, particularly during pregnancy. For instance, cholestasis of pregnancy is a condition in which bile doesn't flow properly, which affects your ability to digest fat. The combination of dandelion and milk thistle is a traditional remedy for pregnancy-related cholestasis, but there's no scientific research to support the use of this herbal combination. It's not known whether dandelion is safe during pregnancy.

General Guidelines

Avoid using either milk thistle or dandelion if you're trying to conceive, since there's insufficient evidence to support the use of either and safety information during pregnancy suggests against using milk thistle and isn't available for dandelion. If you have liver-related concerns, talk to your doctor or obstetrician for guidance in finding safe treatments or medications. Make sure you let your doctor know you're trying to conceive.