Can You Take Licorice Root While Pregnant?

No, pregnant women should avoid regular full-spectrum licorice root entirely during all trimesters. As a herbal pharmacist with years of prenatal supplement consultation experience, I strictly advise all expecting clients to skip licorice tea, licorice extract, and high-licorice herbal blends throughout pregnancy. Unlike many mild herbs, licorice carries measurable, clinically proven fetal and maternal risks when consumed during gestation—even in moderate short-term doses.

Many expecting parents assume “natural herbal remedies are safe for pregnancy”, but licorice is a well-documented exception. Its active compound glycyrrhizin impacts placental function, maternal blood pressure, and fetal developmental stability. Leading global health bodies including ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) and the NHS officially warn against licorice consumption during pregnancy due to consistent clinical study findings.

Disclaimer: This article is based on published clinical data and professional herbal pharmacy experience for educational reference only. It is not a substitute for prenatal medical advice. Always consult your OB-GYN before using any herbal supplements during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Clinical Data & Proven Pregnancy Risks of Licorice Root

Multiple long-term population studies confirm clear dose-dependent risks linked to glycyrrhizin intake during pregnancy. The key clinical benchmarks are based on weekly glycyrrhizin exposure levels, the gold standard for measuring licorice pregnancy risk:

• Heavy intake (≥500mg glycyrrhizin per week): Increases preterm birth risk by 2.5x and early preterm birth risk by 3.07x. This level of exposure directly disrupts placental hormone regulation and can trigger premature labor.
• Moderate intake (250–499mg glycyrrhizin per week): Linked to slightly shortened gestational length, lower average birth weight, and increased maternal fluid retention.
• Chronic low intake: Even consistent small daily doses accumulate over weeks, altering maternal electrolyte balance and raising subtle pre-eclampsia risk.

Beyond preterm delivery risk, licorice’s steroid-like effects can disrupt fetal neurodevelopment and increase maternal hypertension risk during pregnancy—a dangerous combination for prenatal stability.

Real Client Case: Accidental Licorice Exposure During Pregnancy

This is a common prenatal herbal safety case I counsel regularly in my pharmacy practice:

A 29-year-old client in her second trimester drank 1 cup of organic licorice root tea daily for 10 days to soothe a persistent dry cough and sore throat. She had no prior hypertension and a healthy prenatal history, assuming herbal tea was harmless. After routine prenatal checkups, she presented with mild elevated blood pressure and slight lower-extremity edema with no other explainable causes.

After immediate discontinuation of licorice tea, her blood pressure normalized within two weeks, and swelling resolved fully. Though her baby remained healthy, this case demonstrates how even short-term mild licorice use during pregnancy can trigger unwanted physiological stress that complicates prenatal monitoring. I now strictly advise zero licorice exposure for all prenatal clients, regardless of trimester or dosage duration.

Why Licorice Is Unsafe for Pregnancy (Pharmacist Mechanism Breakdown)

Three core biological mechanisms make glycyrrhizin-containing licorice unsafe for expecting mothers and fetuses:

1. Disrupts placental enzyme function

Glycyrrhizin inhibits a key placental enzyme that protects the fetus from excess maternal stress hormones. When blocked, unregulated cortisol crosses the placenta, exposing the fetus to abnormal hormonal levels that impact developmental stability and gestational timing.

2. Triggers maternal hypertension & fluid retention

Licorice causes sodium retention and potassium depletion in pregnant bodies, significantly raising the risk of gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia predisposition. These conditions are serious prenatal complications that endanger both mother and baby.

3. Stimulates mild uterine activity

Pharmacologically, licorice carries mild estrogenic and uterine-stimulating properties. While not a strong abortifacient, consistent intake can increase uterine irritability, raising preterm contraction risk in sensitive pregnancies.

DGL Licorice During Pregnancy: Is It Safe?

DGL licorice is not officially approved for prenatal use and is still best avoided.

While DGL removes nearly all glycyrrhizin and eliminates blood pressure/electrolyte risks, there are zero large-scale clinical safety studies confirming its harmlessness in pregnancy. Due to limited prenatal safety data, standard obstetric and herbal pharmacy protocol is to avoid all licorice formulations—regular and DGL—for 100% risk elimination.

Pharmacist Professional Prenatal Recommendation

Zero licorice intake during all trimesters of pregnancy.

No short-term cough relief, no digestive support, and no minor wellness benefit is worth the measurable prenatal risks. For pregnancy-safe cough, sore throat, or mild reflux relief, choose thoroughly researched alternative herbs with complete prenatal safety data instead.

FAQs (Licorice Root During Pregnancy)

Q: Is a small amount of licorice tea safe in early pregnancy?

A: No. Even sporadic small doses carry accumulating glycyrrhizin exposure risk. Clinical data shows no “safe low threshold” for prenatal licorice use.

Q: Does occasional licorice candy during pregnancy cause harm?

A: Frequent or regular licorice candy intake adds up to dangerous glycyrrhizin levels. Sporadic tiny accidental exposure is unlikely to cause harm, but intentional consumption should be fully avoided.

Q: Can I take DGL for heartburn while pregnant?

A: Most obstetric providers recommend avoiding DGL due to insufficient prenatal safety research. Stick to medically approved reflux remedies during pregnancy.

Q: Does licorice root cause miscarriage?

A: High chronic licorice intake is linked to increased pregnancy complication risks including preterm birth. While not a direct miscarriage trigger, it elevates prenatal stress that endangers gestational stability.

Q: Is licorice safe during breastfeeding?

A: No. Glycyrrhizin can pass to infants via breast milk, disrupting infant electrolyte balance and immature hormone regulation. Licorice is avoided throughout lactation as well.

Final Pharmacist Verdict

Licorice root is not safe for use during pregnancy in any trimester, in any formulation. Backed by decades of clinical data, licorice glycyrrhizin exposure increases preterm birth, gestational hypertension, and developmental disruption risks. From a professional herbal pharmacy perspective, there is no valid reason to use licorice during pregnancy when safe alternative remedies are widely available. Full avoidance remains the gold-standard prenatal safety protocol.