Herbs and herbal formulations have been used throughout history in all aspects of female reproductive health, and have been used across many cultures to strengthen, tonify and support during pregnancy. Traditionally pregnancies were handled by midwives or other "wise women" and were not considered a "medical condition". Since the rise of mainstream medicine, we have seen a shift from this traditional pattern to pregnancies monitored and even controlled by physicians. As this trend has grown there has been much confusion and misinformation regarding the use of herbs during pregnancy, and much of what is currently advised could be considered alarmist at worst or, at the least, unnecessarily overcautious.

There are a couple factors to consider when determining if an herb or formula is appropriate; including the intended action of the herb, the part of the plant used, and the actual percentage of the specific herb in the overall formulation. Many cases of contraindications you will find regard the entire herb, when it is only a specific part that is not recommended during pregnancy. Likewise, many herbs are contraindicated at high doses only, yet you will see this contraindication applied to a formula containing a very small percentage per dose of that specific herb—when in reality that herb at lower doses actually has a healing or tonic effect!

Finally, many herbs are listed as "not recommended during pregnancy" not because any adverse effects were ever noted with their use, but simply because no information on the safety can be "conclusively established". In other words, a particular herb may have been used during pregnancy throughout the ages, will be deemed "not recommended" or not safe because there has not been a study performed in the last 20 years.

The following recommendations for Dr. Morse's Cellular Botanicals have been established based on traditional use, current research (that we consider accurate and reliable), and Dr. Morse's nearly 50 years of herbal expertise. Dr. Morse's Cellular Botanicals are superb herbal formulas to cleanse, regenerate and strengthen the tissues of the body, restoring your health and vitality. However, we do recommend avoiding or using caution with some formulas during pregnancy (see below).

If you are pregnant, consider waiting to detox deeply until your little one is born. Focus instead on using food as a cleanser! There are some situations that may require detoxification using herbal formulas during pregnancy, and in these cases we suggest that one meet with a counselor for personalized guidance. Read on for more information on using diet and detoxification to support a healthy pregnancy.