Natural Birth and Baby Care.com

Valarian and Hops Extracts OK During Pregnancy?

by Nicole Kelly
(West Palm Beach, Fl)

I am 10 weeks pregnant with my second and am suffering a little anxiety this pregnancy! I have a ton of things going on and have been taking Tranquil, an OTC med. Tt has valerian and hops extract in it! Is it ok?

Answer:

Hi Nicole,

Valerian is safe to take occasionally during pregnancy, but not to use regularly. It can cause side effects such as heart palpitations if used regularly/for extended periods.

It looks like hops may be safe to take occasionally as well, but I can't find any concrete information. It's used to treat elevated blood pressure sometimes in later pregnancy, and has been rumored to stimulate milk production postpartum. It is probably safe to take from time to time, but use good judgment.

Anxiety and stress can be tough to deal with during pregnancy - I have had a lot during my fifth pregnancy. I have found that listening to a relaxation track every day helps me a lot, so that's something you may look into if you're having problems with persistent anxiety.