Can You Take Ashwagandha While Pregnant? What the Evidence Says

Search for ashwagandha and pregnancy and you will find two confident, opposing claims repeated endlessly. One camp says ashwagandha is an abortifacient, a substance that causes miscarriage, and must be avoided during pregnancy. The other says ashwagandha has been used safely in Ayurvedic medicine for pregnant women for thousands of years.

Both claims are poorly supported. And a pair of 2026 studies exposed exactly why.

The abortifacient warning traces back through a chain of citations that, when followed to its end, leads to unreferenced anecdotal reports from the mid-20th century. The safety claim rests on traditional use that was never documented with the rigor required to draw clinical conclusions.

The honest answer is that we do not have enough evidence to confirm safety during pregnancy, and a 2026 systematic review demonstrated that the evidence most commonly cited against ashwagandha in pregnancy is weaker than widely believed.

Evidence Assessment at a Glance

Before diving into the details, here is a summary of what evidence exists on each side of the debate, and what quality level it represents.

The table makes visible what most pregnancy-safety articles hide: the strongest evidence is not for or against ashwagandha: it is the thyroid modulation data, which is clinically relevant during pregnancy but almost never discussed in this context.

The Abortifacient Claim: Following the Citations

A 2026 systematic and ethnobotanical review published in Phytotherapy Research did something that no prior analysis had attempted: tracing the abortifacient claim through every layer of its citation chain to identify where the original evidence actually came from (Tallon, Koturbash & Blum, 2026).

What they found is a textbook case of citation distortion, a phenomenon where each source cites the one before it without returning to primary evidence, until a poorly supported claim hardens into accepted fact through sheer repetition.

The chain works like this:

The World Health Organization published a monograph on ashwagandha stating that "the crude drug has been used in traditional medicine to induce abortion" and contraindicated its use during pregnancy. WHO cited the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) monograph. The AHP monograph cited a 1992 popular book by Svoboda. Svoboda made the claim without providing a reference. Other sources that repeat the claim cite either the WHO monograph, the AHP monograph, or each other, never primary clinical data.

When the Tallon team searched for the original evidence: the clinical observation, the case series, the documented abortifacient event that started the chain, they could not find one. The claim originates in anecdotal reports from the 1930s through 1960s that did not specify dose, duration, formulation, or even confirm that ashwagandha was the only substance used.

The Citation Chain Visualized

A separate 2026 commentary in the same journal posed the question directly in its title: "Is Ashwagandha an Abortifacient?" The author's conclusion: the available evidence does not support the classification (Brendler, 2026).

The American Herbal Pharmacopoeia itself issued a 2024 press release stating that their review found no evidence of abortifacient activity in ashwagandha root when used at recommended doses. They noted that Ayurvedic practitioners they consulted had never observed abortifacient effects clinically.

The Paradox: Traditional Use Goes Both Ways

The citation distortion finding gets more interesting when you consider the full traditional record. Ashwagandha has indeed been referenced in traditional medicine in the context of pregnancy, but not only as an abortifacient. In some traditional texts it has also been described in the context of supporting pregnancy and maternal wellbeing, though these historical uses are not backed by modern clinical evidence and, as the animal data below shows, run directly counter to other traditional accounts.

Both uses appear in the traditional literature. Citing one while ignoring the other is cherry-picking, regardless of which direction the cherry-picking goes. The honest conclusion is that the traditional record is mixed, contradictory, and, most importantly, not a substitute for controlled evidence.

The Animal Data

Some animal studies have suggested that ashwagandha may stimulate uterine contractions, which is the biological mechanism that would underpin an abortifacient effect. However, these studies used doses, routes of administration, and extract preparations that do not map neatly onto human supplement use.

Extrapolating from animal uterine studies to human pregnancy risk requires crossing several translational gaps: species differences in reproductive physiology, dose scaling, extract standardization, and route of exposure. These gaps are large enough that the animal data is better characterized as "worth monitoring" than "proof of danger."

A 2026 evaluation of ashwagandha's potential hormonal activities examined whether the herb could affect reproductive hormones in ways relevant to pregnancy safety (Vollmer & Brendler, 2026). This type of hormonal assessment is relevant because endocrine disruption is an alternative mechanism (separate from uterine contraction) through which a substance could theoretically affect pregnancy outcomes.

The India AYUSH Safety Dossier

The Indian Ministry of AYUSH (the government body overseeing Ayurvedic, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathic medicine) released a Safety Dossier (version 2.0) in 2024 specifically addressing ashwagandha's reproductive safety. This was prompted by safety concerns raised in the European Union.

The dossier compiled all available clinical and preclinical data and concluded that there was a lack of evidence for abortifacient activity of ashwagandha root. This is the position of the government that has the most institutional experience with the herb and the most incentive to document its risks accurately (AYUSH's credibility depends on the safety of the medicines under its jurisdiction).

What We Still Do Not Know

The citation distortion finding weakens the case against ashwagandha in pregnancy, but it does not build a case for safety. Important gaps remain:

No human pregnancy RCT exists. Ethical constraints make it extremely unlikely that one will be conducted. You cannot randomize pregnant women to receive a substance with uncertain safety and compare outcomes to placebo. The safety evidence in pregnant populations will remain observational and retrospective for the foreseeable future.

Withanolide content varies enormously. Different ashwagandha products contain different concentrations of withanolides, the primary bioactive compounds. KSM-66 standardizes to a specific range. Bulk powders from uncharacterized sources may contain dramatically different amounts. Safety at one concentration does not guarantee safety at another.

Thyroid effects are real. Ashwagandha can increase thyroid hormone levels (T3 and T4) in people with subclinical hypothyroidism. Pregnancy requires carefully controlled thyroid function. Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism during pregnancy carry risks to the fetus. Any supplement that modulates thyroid output introduces a variable that complicates an already delicate endocrine balance.

Immune modulation is unstudied in pregnancy. Ashwagandha has documented immunomodulatory properties. Pregnancy requires significant immune system adaptation, the mother's immune system must tolerate the genetically foreign fetus while maintaining defense against pathogens. The interaction between ashwagandha's immune effects and the immune tolerance required for pregnancy has not been studied.

Liver injury cases, though rare, exist. Ashwagandha has been associated with idiosyncratic liver injury in non-pregnant adults (see our ashwagandha liver safety review). Whether pregnancy (which already places metabolic demands on the liver) modifies this risk is unknown.

The Thyroid Problem That Nobody Talks About

The pregnancy debate focuses almost entirely on the abortifacient question. But the more clinically relevant concern may be ashwagandha's documented effect on thyroid hormones: a topic that receives far less attention despite having substantially stronger evidence.

Multiple randomized controlled trials in non-pregnant adults have demonstrated that ashwagandha increases serum T3 and T4 levels and decreases TSH. A 2018 RCT by Sharma et al. found that 600 mg daily of ashwagandha root extract significantly increased serum T4 levels compared to placebo over 8 weeks (Sharma et al., 2018). A 2023 systematic review confirmed this thyroid-stimulating effect across multiple trials.

During pregnancy, thyroid homeostasis is not optional. It is essential. The fetus depends entirely on maternal thyroid hormones during the first trimester, before the fetal thyroid gland develops the capacity to produce its own. Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism during pregnancy carry well-documented risks:

Ashwagandha's demonstrated ability to increase T4 and T3 in adults introduces an uncontrolled variable into a system that pregnancy requires to be tightly regulated. A woman with normal thyroid function who takes ashwagandha may push her thyroid output above the optimal range for pregnancy. A woman with subclinical hyperthyroidism, a condition she may not even know she has, could be pushed into clinical hyperthyroidism.

This is not an abortifacient mechanism. It is an endocrine disruption mechanism. And unlike the abortifacient claim, it is supported by controlled human trial data rather than circular citations.

The American Thyroid Association guidelines recommend against any unnecessary thyroid-modulating substances during pregnancy. Ashwagandha qualifies.

What NCCIH and Other Authorities Say

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the NIH, recommends avoiding ashwagandha during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This recommendation has not changed despite the 2026 citation distortion findings: and that is worth understanding rather than dismissing.

NCCIH's position is not based solely on the abortifacient claim. It reflects a broader principle in prenatal safety: the standard for supplements during pregnancy is proof of safety, not merely absence of proof of harm. For a substance with no human pregnancy trial, limited observational data, thyroid-modulating effects, immune-modulating effects, and emerging hepatotoxicity signals, the precautionary principle applies regardless of whether the specific abortifacient claim holds up.

Breastfeeding

Even less data exists for breastfeeding than for pregnancy. Whether ashwagandha's bioactive compounds, particularly withanolides, transfer into breast milk, and at what concentrations, has not been measured. Most authorities extend the pregnancy avoidance recommendation to breastfeeding as a default precaution.

If You Are Currently Pregnant and Taking Ashwagandha

If you discover you are pregnant while already taking ashwagandha, this is not an emergency. The evidence does not suggest acute danger from short-term exposure. Discontinue the supplement and inform your healthcare provider at your next visit.

The risk (if it exists) would be from sustained use during pregnancy, not from having taken it before knowing you were pregnant. There is no published case of fetal harm attributed to ashwagandha exposure during early pregnancy in the medical literature.

What Pregnant Women Can Take Instead

The reason many pregnant women consider ashwagandha is stress and sleep: two real problems that intensify during pregnancy. Several alternatives have better safety profiles in pregnancy:

For a detailed guide on magnesium supplementation during pregnancy (including dosage, form selection, and what to avoid) see our magnesium glycinate during pregnancy article.

What If You Took It Before Knowing You Were Pregnant

This is the question driving most anxiety, and the answer is more reassuring than the warning labels suggest.

The concerning animal data involved doses far above human supplemental ranges, administered throughout gestation, in species with different placental physiology. A woman who took 300–600 mg/day during early pregnancy (before a positive test at 4–6 weeks) has not replicated those conditions.

No human case reports or epidemiological data document fetal harm from pre-pregnancy or early-pregnancy ashwagandha exposure at supplemental doses. The documented risk is currently zero: the theoretical risk is based on animal data that does not translate directly to human dosing.

The appropriate response: stop ashwagandha when pregnancy is confirmed, inform your OB/GYN. No evidence supports emergency measures or additional monitoring for prior exposure. The theoretical risk applies to continued use throughout pregnancy, not early inadvertent exposure.

Dose-Dependent Considerations: Preconception and IVF

Women taking ashwagandha for stress before conception face different considerations than during pregnancy.

During preconception, ashwagandha's cortisol-lowering and thyroid-modulating effects are the primary factors. Chronic stress elevates cortisol, which can suppress ovulation. Small trials (mostly in men) show ashwagandha improves reproductive hormone profiles, but no RCT has tested it specifically for female fertility.

For IVF: the thyroid effect is dominant. Subclinical hypothyroidism is managed aggressively during IVF because even mild TSH elevations reduce implantation rates. Adding ashwagandha, which may push thyroid function toward hyperthyroidism in predisposed individuals: introduces an unpredictable variable.

Reproductive endocrinologists who are aware of ashwagandha generally recommend discontinuing at least 2 weeks before embryo transfer, ideally at the start of an IVF cycle. The half-life of withanolides is not well-characterized, so a 2-week washout provides reasonable margin.

Placental Transfer: The Unknown

No human pharmacokinetic data exists on whether ashwagandha's active compounds cross the placenta. In animal models, withanolides were detected in fetal tissue, but at doses 10–50x human equivalent, administered parenterally.

Withanolides are lipophilic steroidal compounds. Lipophilic molecules generally cross the placenta. Oral bioavailability is estimated at 30–50% depending on extract form, but human placental transfer studies have not been conducted.

This uncertainty is the primary reason "avoid during pregnancy" remains standard, not because harm was demonstrated, but because the pharmacokinetic chain has not been characterized enough to rule it out.

Comparison With Other Adaptogens During Pregnancy

• Rhodiola rosea: Insufficient pregnancy data. EMA classifies as "not recommended during pregnancy" due to data absence, not evidence of harm.
• Holy basil (Tulsi): Anti-fertility effects in animal models. Avoid during pregnancy and preconception.
• Ginseng: Mixed animal data. Ginsenoside Rb1 showed embryotoxicity in rat embryo culture. AHPA classifies as "not to be used during pregnancy."
• Magnesium glycinate: Safe and well-studied during pregnancy. Best evidence-supported option for stress and sleep support. 200–350 mg elemental/day.
• L-theanine: Limited but reassuring data. Found naturally in tea. No documented adverse pregnancy effects at 100–200 mg/day, though formal pregnancy RCTs are lacking.

No adaptogenic herb has strong pregnancy safety data from RCTs. The safest alternatives are nutrients with established pregnancy profiles: magnesium, B vitamins, omega-3s.

Postpartum and Breastfeeding

No published study has measured withanolide concentrations in breast milk. Withanolides are lipophilic and likely transfer into breast milk at some level, but whether that level is clinically significant for an infant with immature hepatic metabolism is unknown.

Ayurvedic tradition uses ashwagandha as a galactagogue during lactation. Traditional use means no catastrophic acute effects were observed, not that subclinical effects were measured and found absent.

Conservative approach: wait until weaning. Moderate approach: resume at 300 mg/day and monitor infant for feeding or sleep changes: though attributing such changes to ashwagandha versus normal variability is effectively impossible.

For women not breastfeeding, ashwagandha can be resumed postpartum without specific timing restrictions at standard doses (300–600 mg/day).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ashwagandha safe in early pregnancy?

No clinical data confirms safety at any stage of human pregnancy. The avoid-during-pregnancy guidance rests on animal data showing abortifacient effects at high doses, the absence of human trials, and ashwagandha's thyroid-modulating effects. If you took it before knowing you were pregnant, documented risk from early exposure is currently zero, but continuing once confirmed is not recommended.

No clinical data confirms safety during any stage of human pregnancy. The "avoid during pregnancy" recommendation is based on animal data (abortifacient effects at high doses in rodents), the absence of human pregnancy safety trials, and ashwagandha's thyroid-modulating effects which could complicate the tightly regulated hormonal environment of pregnancy. If you took ashwagandha before realizing you were pregnant, the documented risk from early inadvertent exposure at supplemental doses is currently zero, but continuing use once pregnancy is confirmed is not recommended.

What should I take instead of ashwagandha for stress during pregnancy?

Magnesium glycinate (200–350 mg elemental daily) is the best evidence-supported option for pregnancy-related stress and sleep, with a strong safety profile. L-theanine (100–200 mg) has limited but reassuring data. Beyond supplements, CBT for insomnia and prenatal yoga both have trial evidence for reducing stress and anxiety during pregnancy.

Magnesium glycinate (200–350 mg elemental/day) is the best evidence-supported supplement for pregnancy-related stress and sleep, with a strong safety profile across all trimesters. L-theanine (100–200 mg/day, naturally found in tea) has limited but reassuring safety data. Beyond supplements, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) has strong evidence for pregnancy-related sleep difficulties, and prenatal yoga has been shown in RCTs to reduce perceived stress and anxiety during pregnancy.

Can ashwagandha cause miscarriage?

The abortifacient claim traces to animal studies using doses 10–50x the human equivalent, and no human case report documents miscarriage from supplemental ashwagandha. But the mechanism seen in animals (uterine contraction stimulation) is biologically plausible in humans. Because the potential consequence is severe, the precautionary recommendation to avoid ashwagandha during pregnancy stands.

The abortifacient claim traces to animal studies using doses far above human supplemental ranges, typically 10–50x the human equivalent on a mg/kg basis. No human case report has documented miscarriage caused by ashwagandha supplementation. But the mechanism by which high-dose ashwagandha caused pregnancy loss in animals (uterotonic activity: stimulation of uterine contractions) is pharmacologically plausible in humans, which is why the precautionary recommendation to avoid use during pregnancy exists. The gap between the animal dose and typical human dose is large, but the consequence (pregnancy loss) is severe enough that the precautionary principle applies.

When can I start taking ashwagandha again after pregnancy?

If you are not breastfeeding, ashwagandha can be resumed postpartum at standard doses (300–600 mg/day) with no specific timing restrictions. If breastfeeding, the conservative recommendation is to wait until weaning, since no human study has measured withanolide levels in breast milk. A moderate approach is resuming at 300 mg/day while monitoring the infant.

If you are not breastfeeding, ashwagandha can be resumed postpartum without specific timing restrictions at standard doses (300–600 mg/day). If breastfeeding, the conservative recommendation is to wait until weaning, since no human lactation study has measured withanolide levels in breast milk. A moderate approach is to resume at 300 mg/day while monitoring the infant for any changes in feeding or sleep behavior. The Ayurvedic tradition uses ashwagandha during lactation (as a galactagogue), but traditional use does not constitute modern safety evidence.

Does ashwagandha affect fertility?

In men, several small trials show improved sperm count, motility, and testosterone. In women, evidence is very limited, with no trial testing ashwagandha for female fertility specifically. Its cortisol-lowering effect could theoretically help stress-impaired fertility, but this is a hypothesis. During IVF, most specialists recommend stopping ashwagandha before embryo transfer due to thyroid effects.

In men, several small RCTs have shown that ashwagandha improves sperm count, motility, and testosterone levels. In women, the evidence is extremely limited, no RCT has tested ashwagandha specifically for female fertility optimization. The cortisol-lowering effect could theoretically benefit women whose fertility is impaired by chronic stress (since high cortisol suppresses GnRH pulsatility), but this is a mechanistic hypothesis, not a demonstrated clinical effect. During IVF, most reproductive endocrinologists recommend discontinuing ashwagandha before embryo transfer due to its thyroid-modulating effects.

Is ashwagandha tea safer than capsules during pregnancy?

No. The form does not change the active compounds, since withanolides are present regardless of delivery method. Tea may have lower concentrations, but lower dose is not the same as safe during pregnancy. The recommendation to avoid ashwagandha applies to all forms. Check herbal tea ingredient lists for ashwagandha, also labeled Withania somnifera or Indian ginseng.

No. The form of ashwagandha (tea, capsule, powder, tincture) does not change its active compounds, withanolides are present regardless of delivery method. Tea may contain lower withanolide concentrations than a standardized extract, but "lower dose" is not the same as "safe during pregnancy." The recommendation to avoid ashwagandha during pregnancy applies to all forms and preparations. If you are drinking herbal teas during pregnancy, check the ingredient list for ashwagandha (also labeled as Withania somnifera or Indian ginseng).

Who should avoid ashwagandha around pregnancy?

Ashwagandha should be avoided during pregnancy and by anyone trying to conceive without medical guidance. No human safety data exists for pregnancy, and animal studies suggest a miscarriage risk. The groups below should avoid ashwagandha or seek specialist advice before use.

Pregnant women at any stage. Animal studies show uterine-contraction (abortifacient) effects at high doses, and there is no human evidence establishing safety. Discontinue ashwagandha once pregnancy is confirmed.

Women trying to conceive or in IVF. Ashwagandha's thyroid-modulating effect can disrupt the tightly controlled hormones of a conception or IVF cycle. Most reproductive specialists recommend stopping it at least two weeks before embryo transfer.

Breastfeeding mothers. No study has measured whether ashwagandha's active compounds pass into breast milk. The conservative recommendation is to avoid it until weaning.

Anyone taking thyroid medication. Ashwagandha can increase thyroid hormone production, which is especially risky during pregnancy planning when thyroid status is closely managed. Involve your provider before combining them.

The Bottom Line

The evidence against ashwagandha in pregnancy is weaker than commonly cited. The abortifacient claim rests on a circular chain of citations that, when traced to its origin, leads to unreferenced anecdotal reports: not clinical data.

But the evidence for safety in pregnancy does not exist either. No human pregnancy trial has been conducted. The animal data is inconclusive. Ashwagandha modulates thyroid hormones and immune function, both of which require careful balance during pregnancy. And the precautionary principle that governs prenatal supplementation sets a higher bar than "probably fine."

The practical recommendation: avoid ashwagandha during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Not because the abortifacient evidence is strong, it is not, but because the safety evidence is absent, and the stakes involve a developing fetus.

This is one of those cases where "we do not know" is the most honest and most important thing a supplement brand can say.

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Written by Tao Wu. This article is based on peer-reviewed systematic reviews, ethnobotanical analysis, and regulatory advisories. YourHealthier sells ashwagandha supplements. See our editorial policy for how we research and write.

Last updated: September 19, 2026

Decisions about any supplement during pregnancy or while trying to conceive belong with your OB/GYN or reproductive specialist, not with a general article. Bring up ashwagandha use directly so it can be weighed against your individual situation. This information is educational and is not medical advice; it has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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References

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American Herbal Pharmacopoeia. AHP Responds to Claims of Ashwagandha Abortifacient Effects. Press Release, June 2024.

Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India. Ashwagandha Safety Dossier 2.0. 2024.

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Ashwagandha. NIH. NCCIH

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