Ashwagandha: Best Avoided During Pregnancy

Pregnant or breastfeeding, and there’s still a tub of ashwagandha in your kitchen cupboard from before? It’s completely understandable to wonder whether you can keep taking it — the root, after all, has a reputation as a gentle natural remedy for stress and better sleep. Here’s the honest answer upfront: right now, we recommend against it during pregnancy and breastfeeding — not to alarm you, but because the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) officially recommended exactly that in September 2024. Here’s the honest breakdown: what’s really behind the old “abortifacient” story, what the current evidence actually shows — and what reliably helps you through stressful days and restless nights instead.

What Is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha (botanically Withania somnifera) is a nightshade plant native to India. Its root has been used in Ayurveda for over 3,000 years — there, it’s known as a Rasayana, a traditional tonic. In English, it’s also commonly known as “winter cherry” or “Indian ginseng.” Today, the root is typically sold as a powder or as a concentrated extract, standardised for its withanolide content — the plant compounds that give the root its characteristic effects.

One important point for context: in Europe, ashwagandha isn’t an approved medicine. It’s sold as a food supplement, which legally means it’s treated like a food, not like a drug that has to be specifically tested for safety before going on sale. That means the responsibility for looking more closely at certain life situations falls on you, at least for now.

How Does Ashwagandha Work — and What Does That Mean for Your Baby?

The root is traditionally credited with balancing, “adaptogenic” properties: it’s said to help the body cope better with strain, which is why people take it for stress, as part of an evening routine, or during demanding phases of life. Withanolides are considered the group of compounds responsible for this effect, interacting with the nervous, hormonal, and immune systems, among others.

This is exactly the point that matters for pregnancy and breastfeeding: a plant compound that acts on the mother’s hormones, metabolism, and nervous system can, in principle, also reach the unborn child through the placenta or pass into breast milk. Whether — and to what extent — this happens with ashwagandha simply hasn’t been studied thoroughly enough. And it’s this gap in the research, not any proven harm, that’s at the heart of the caution regulators are exercising here.

Who Is This For?

This article is for you if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding and would like to reach for ashwagandha — to cope with everyday stress, for calmer nights, or simply because the capsules were already part of your routine before pregnancy. Wanting natural support during this demanding time is completely understandable.

It’s just as much for you if you’d already been taking ashwagandha before you knew you were pregnant and now want to know whether that’s a problem. And it’s for partners, family, or friends standing in a health food store or shopping online, trying to decide whether to buy it, who need a clear, reliable answer instead of wading through contradictory forum threads.

The reasons pregnant women reach for an adaptogen like ashwagandha tend to shift over time: in the first trimester, it’s often the exhaustion of hormonal changes and the uncertainty of the early weeks; in the third trimester, it’s more likely to be pre-birth tension or sleeplessness caused by a growing belly. As understandable as the desire for support is in every one of these phases, the answer to the safety question stays the same throughout the entire pregnancy.

Intake & Dosage

Outside of pregnancy and breastfeeding, typical daily amounts for standardised extracts usually fall in the range of 300 to 600 mg, while pure root powder is generally dosed in the gram range — both based on manufacturer guidance, since there are no official reference values for ashwagandha in the first place.

None of these figures apply during pregnancy and breastfeeding. There is no recommended dose here — not even a “low, safe” amount — because the available data simply isn’t sufficient. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) stated unambiguously in its own communication in September 2024: because safety data on ashwagandha is lacking for pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and children, these groups in particular are advised against taking corresponding preparations. Based on the data available, the BfR hasn’t so far been able to derive a guideline value for a safe intake amount for anyone — not even for healthy adults outside of this period.

In practical terms, that means: don’t take any ashwagandha preparation on your own during this time — whether that’s a capsule, powder stirred into warm milk, or tea. Instead, talk to your OB-GYN or midwife before taking any herbal remedy for stress or sleep problems. They know your individual situation and any possible interactions with other medications, and they can assess what’s actually appropriate for you.

What to Watch Out for When Buying

Since this phase isn’t about finding the right dose but about avoiding the ingredient altogether, it’s worth taking a different approach here: ashwagandha is often hidden away in combination products — in stress complexes, “good night” capsules, adaptogen blends, or ready-made moon milk powders, frequently alongside valerian, ginseng, or rhodiola. So even with supplements or teas that seem harmless, check the ingredient list before trying anything new during this time.

What actually helps instead is well-documented and comes with no open safety questions:

• Magnesium: contributes to normal muscle function and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, and it’s considered well-studied during pregnancy.
• A fixed evening routine: the same bedtime every night, a warm shower, and no screens in the last half hour before sleep.
• Daytime movement: a short walk in the afternoon releases tension and noticeably improves sleep quality.
• Breathing exercises or gentle stretching: calming right before bed, with no side-effect concerns at all.
• Talking instead of overthinking: sharing your worries with your partner, midwife, or a good friend often relieves more than any capsule could.

Once pregnancy and breastfeeding are behind you, the usual quality criteria for ashwagandha apply again: a clearly declared withanolide content, a transparent extract ratio, independent lab testing, and — precisely because the root absorbs substances from the soil — certified organic cultivation wherever possible.

The Honest Bottom Line

One point deserves an honest look, because you’re bound to run into it while googling: some traditional and historical sources describe ashwagandha being used to end a pregnancy — and this tradition was part of why the BfR first took a closer look at the root back in 2012. A recent scientific review from 2025, however, questions how reliable these old sources really are, and finds no clear evidence — in either animal studies or the available human data — of a harmful effect on foetal development under normal use. So neither claim is actually proven: not the danger, and not the all-clear.

It’s exactly this uncertainty — not a proven danger — that’s behind the current caution. There’s a second, unrelated, and very current point on top of that: since 2017, case reports of liver damage linked to ashwagandha preparations have been piling up worldwide, in rare, severe cases progressing all the way to liver failure. This affects all adults in principle, not just pregnant women — but it further explains why authorities are currently recommending such clear restraint, especially at a time when your body is already dealing with altered metabolic and liver activity.

Matching Products from Scheunengut

This is usually the point where we’d recommend suitable products from our range — and we’re deliberately leaving that out here. Our ashwagandha products, whether organic root powder or standardised extract, are formulated for general use outside of pregnancy and breastfeeding. Recommending one to you here anyway would be dishonest — and it would contradict our own safety assessment from earlier in this article.

Once you’re no longer pregnant or have finished breastfeeding, our comprehensive ashwagandha guide has everything you need on extracts, withanolide content, and quality markers. Until then: talk to your midwife or doctor about which kind of support makes sense for your current situation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I take ashwagandha during pregnancy?

Currently, we recommend against it. In September 2024, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) officially recommended that pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and children in particular avoid ashwagandha preparations, because there isn’t enough safety data for these groups.

Is ashwagandha allowed while breastfeeding?

It’s also advised against while breastfeeding. There’s practically no published data on whether — or in what amount — its compounds pass into breast milk, or how they might affect a breastfed baby. That knowledge gap alone is reason enough to avoid it during this time.

Is it true that ashwagandha was once considered a way to end a pregnancy?

Some traditional sources describe it that way, and this tradition was one of the reasons for early regulatory safety reviews. However, a recent 2025 review questions how reliable these old sources really are and finds no clear modern evidence to support it — so neither the danger nor the all-clear has actually been proven.

I took ashwagandha before I knew I was pregnant — is that a problem?

Based on the current evidence, there’s no reason to panic — no harm has actually been proven, and the caution is based on a gap in the data, not a demonstrated risk. Still, mention it briefly to your midwife or doctor and stop taking it from now on, and you’ll be on the safe side.

Why does the BfR warn against ashwagandha if it’s considered a gentle adaptogen?

Because case reports of sometimes severe liver damage linked to ashwagandha preparations have been surfacing worldwide since 2017, and the overall data is too thin to establish a safe intake amount. This affects all adults, but it hits pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and children — groups with no safety data at all — especially hard.

What helps with stress or sleep problems during pregnancy instead?

Magnesium is well-studied during pregnancy and contributes to normal muscle function as well as to reducing tiredness and fatigue. On top of that, a fixed evening routine, an afternoon walk, and breathing exercises before bed all work reliably — with no open safety questions at all.

When can I take ashwagandha again after giving birth or finishing breastfeeding?

There’s no blanket answer in weeks or months. Once you’re no longer pregnant and no longer breastfeeding, the usual quality and dosage guidelines for adults apply again — if in doubt, it’s best to briefly check the timing with your doctor or midwife.