Is Chamomile tea safe during pregnancy?

Spices & herbs

Limit herbal teas to 4 cups a day

The NHS says to drink no more than 4 cups of herbal tea, such as chamomile, a day; NIH NCCIH says little is known about chamomile's safety in pregnancy.[1,2]

What official sources say

NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy

  • Drinks › Drinks to limit: Herbal teas such as peppermint and chamomile should be limited in pregnancy to no more than 4 cups a day, and teas containing liquorice root should be avoided.[1]

NIH NCCIH: Herbs at a Glance: chamomile

  • Little is known about whether it's safe to use chamomile during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.[2]

Related general rules

NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy

  • Little research exists on how herbal teas affect pregnancy, so limiting how much you drink is the safest approach.[1]

Sources

  1. NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy · nhs.uk. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). Not endorsed by the NHS.
  2. NIH NCCIH: Herbs at a Glance: chamomile · nccih.nih.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.

Sources checked 26 September 2026.

Quotes are checked word for word against each source page, and paraphrases against the original text. Official bodies are named as sources only: none of them reviewed or endorses this page.

Educational information, not medical advice. Your own doctor or midwife may advise differently for you — follow their advice.