DRINKING RASPBERRY LEAF TEA DURING PREGNANCY ADVICE

Medically reviewed by

Sophie Martin

14th Mar 2022

Many mums-to-be get a little restless and are more than ready to get on with the big event of giving birth once their baby has been carried for the full term. But many babies, particularly the first born, aren’t in any hurry to leave their comfortable womb. When the due date has been and gone, chatter on baby club forums and among pregnant friends often turns to suggestions on how to give baby a little nudge along.

Hot curries, hot sex and car journeys over bumpy roads are well-tried methods which may or may not work and more often than not, raspberry leaf tea will come up. Here's everything you need to know about raspberry leaf tea...

What is raspberry leaf tea?

Raspberry leaf tea, also called red raspberry leaf tea, is another suggestion that is often bandied about.

Raspberry leaf tea is not a modern idea; it has been around for hundreds of years and was often tried out as a means to trigger a miscarriage when the pregnancy was not wanted.

But the claim that it can help to promote labour is not medically proven and your healthcare team will not recommend its use as there is no evidence to suggest it is beneficial.

Scientific studies that have been done into the effects of raspberry leaf tea in pregnancy have produced conflicting results and although it is unlikely to cause any harm, there is limited evidence to support its use.

Does raspberry leaf tea work?

There is limited evidence to whether raspberry leaf tea works, but there is little evidence of harm either.

That said, it is not recommended that you take raspberry tea during pregnancy or while breastfeeding due to the lack of evidence to support it.

This is especially important if any of the following apply to you:

If you've already had a baby and your labour was very short
If you're scheduled to have a planned caesarean for a medical reason
If you've previously had a caesarean section
If you've ever had a premature labour
If you've had vaginal bleeding, or spotting in the second half of pregnancy
If you have a family or personal history of ovarian cancer endometriosis or fibroids
If you have any complications or health problems in your pregnancy
If you have high blood pressure
If you are expecting twins
If you are on medication
If you have liver or kidney disease

If you do wish to try raspberry leaf tea, it is recommended that you start from 32 weeks and drink 1 cup per day, and over a few weeks build up to 3 cups per day. It is not recommended to start if you are already overdue.