Pomegranate in pregnancy and breastfeeding

What NCCIH says about safety

Pomegranate juice is believed to be safe. Pomegranate extract may also be safe. Pomegranate root, stem, and peel may not be safe when consumed in large amounts because they contain substances that can have harmful effects. Pomegranate usually doesn’t have side effects, but some people may have digestive tract symptoms. Allergic reactions to pomegranate have been reported. Drinking pomegranate juice during pregnancy or while breastfeeding may be safe. Little is known about whether it’s safe to use other forms of pomegranate or other parts of the plant during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Quoted in full from NCCIH so nothing is lost in summarising. Where they say “little is known”, that means the studies do not exist — not that the herb is known to be safe, and not that it is known to be harmful.

How much is actually known

There’s some evidence from studies in people on the effects of pomegranate for a few health conditions. Many of the studies have used pomegranate juice rather than dietary supplements.

What the research has found

Pomegranate juice or extract may be helpful in reducing blood pressure, but additional research is needed to confirm this effect. Studies show that pomegranate may reduce blood glucose levels to a small extent. Studies have been done to see whether various products from pomegranate can influence levels of cholesterol and other lipids, but no clear effects have been demonstrated. The limited research that’s been completed so far doesn’t allow conclusions to be reached about whether pomegranate is helpful for any other health conditions.

Before you take this

Dose and form change the answer completely. A culinary amount of a spice, a cup of tea, and a concentrated supplement extract are three different things, and most research is done on the last of them.

Supplements are also not regulated like medicines, so strength and purity vary between products. Bring the actual bottle to your midwife, doctor or pharmacist — that conversation is worth more than any page, including this one.