Midwives: question about milk thistle safety in pregnancy

[herbsgirl]

I already posted this over in Unassisted Childbirth, but meant to post it here.


I have an aquaintenence on another forum that took Milk thistle phytosome just before and during the early weeks/first trimester of pregnancy. Her baby was born with potters syndrome, no kidneys, hardly any amniotic fluid,ect...and passed away 30 min after birth


http://www.isabelhope.blogspot.com/


Do you think the Milk thistle could have had anything to do with the defect?

I was alarmed, because I am taking mIlk thiste in prep to TTC next year, and had planned to take milk thistle too during pregnancy

Can you give your experiences, opinions, and thoughts on Milk thistle and pregnancy?

Thank you

[wumanh]

I do not think the milk thistle caused the defect. Babies whose mothers do not take milk thistle sometimes get this.
I am glad you are being cautious and checking things out before you take it.
Milk thistle is very protective for the liver- they use it to counteract mushroom poisoning. You should be safe if you take it before conception. If you feel nervous then don't take it once you conceive.
When the liver is working better it can alter the way drugs are metabolized and change how they work or the levels in the body. Hence the caution about using herbs that affect the liver when you are on pharmaceuticals.
Also since the liver is involved with detoxification the baby could get a dose of those substances when your body cleanses them. Better to do a cleanse before you get pregnant.

[cfiddlinmama]

I had two positive Hep C tests with my 4th baby. (After the baby was born and I had a full work up I ended up being negative - long story) I took Milk Thistle at the recommendation of my CPM. I doubt an herb could cause such serious birth defects. I don't know what Milk Thistle phytosome is though. Has it been standardized? (Isolating a property in the herb and putting extra concentrations of it in the supplement.)

I'm really sorry for your friend's loss.

[herbsgirl]

Thanks so much for the replys. I did recieve a reply also from the professional herbalist from Herblore.com and she said No milk thistle could not have caused this defect, like ya'll said too. She said milk thistle, dandelion, and Yellow dock are all good liver herbs and safe for pregnancy.

I also recieved an email from a women who has taken a large amount of milk thistle every day for years, through pregnancies and breastfeeding---all the time. She said her babies were fine.

The milk thistle product was a phytosome meaning it was bound to another substance and was more bio-available to the body, and absorbed more milk thistle than normal crude m-th herb.

I also think maybe taking the milk thistle ALL the time and well BEFORE pregnancy, might cut down on any toxins being dumped. We dont plan to TTC until 9 months+ so I feel like for the most part the detox will be over with until Im pregnant (If I get preg, Lord willing) and if I want to take it during pregnancy to maintain my liver health, then it will be good that I had started it almost 10 months before so the detox will mostly be over with and the milk thistle will be ok for pregnancy too.

I read that Milk thistle is NOT embryo-toxic. So that right there tells you that the milk thistle probably did not cause the defect.

Thanks again!