The short answer: most aromatherapy safety guidance says to skip essential oils in the first trimester. After that, a small group of lower-risk oils can be used occasionally, mainly by inhalation or at 1% dilution or less on the skin, once your doctor or midwife has okayed it. Some oils should be avoided for the whole pregnancy and while breastfeeding, and none should ever be swallowed.
The rest of this page explains why pregnancy changes the rules, which oils fall into which group, and how to use the lower-risk ones sensibly.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or midwife before using essential oils while pregnant or breastfeeding, especially if you have complications, asthma, allergies, or epilepsy.
Why Pregnancy Changes the Rules
Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts. Their compounds are absorbed through the skin and lungs and enter the bloodstream, and some can cross the placenta. For most oils there is little safety research in pregnant women, because no one can ethically run that kind of trial. Much of what we know comes from animal studies and from the known effects of individual compounds.
That uncertainty is why professional guidance is conservative. A few other changes also make pregnancy different:
- Your sense of smell is sharper. Scents you used to love can trigger nausea or headaches, especially in the first trimester.
- Your skin is often more reactive. Oils you tolerated before pregnancy may now irritate.
- Some compounds are specifically concerning. Examples include thujone, pulegone, camphor, estragole, methyl salicylate, and certain hormone-like constituents. Several oils on the avoid list contain high levels of one of these.
Oils to Avoid During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young’s Essential Oil Safety, the standard professional reference, lists the following among oils to avoid throughout pregnancy and while breastfeeding. These are the ones you’re most likely to find for sale:
| Oil | Main concern |
|---|---|
| Pennyroyal | Pulegone, a liver toxin with a history of serious poisonings |
| Wintergreen | Methyl salicylate, which acts like high-dose aspirin |
| Sweet birch | Methyl salicylate, the same concern as wintergreen |
| Sage (Dalmatian and Spanish) | Thujone and other potentially toxic constituents |
| Wormwood, mugwort, tansy, thuja | Thujone, which is neurotoxic |
| Hyssop (pinocamphone type) | Pinocamphone, which is neurotoxic |
| Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas) | Camphor and ketones; not the same as true lavender |
| Camphor-type ho leaf | Camphor |
| Cinnamon bark and cassia | Concerns about effects on the developing baby |
| Oregano | Concerns about effects on the developing baby |
| Anise, star anise, fennel (sweet and bitter) | Estrogen-like compounds |
| Parsley leaf and seed | Apiole, which is linked to miscarriage |
| Myrrh | Listed for avoidance in pregnancy |
| Carrot seed | Listed for avoidance in pregnancy |
| Rue, savin | Associated with miscarriage |
| Chaste tree | Hormone-like effects |
| Black seed, feverfew, yarrow (green) | Listed for avoidance in pregnancy |
This isn’t the complete list. The full reference includes rarer oils too, so if an oil isn’t mentioned here, that doesn’t mean it’s cleared. Note that cooking with cinnamon, oregano, fennel, or parsley in normal food amounts is a completely different exposure from using their concentrated essential oils.
Oils With Lower Limits During Pregnancy
Some oils aren’t banned outright but have a lower maximum skin concentration in pregnancy. Most of them are lemony oils rich in citral:
| Oil | Maximum skin dilution in pregnancy |
|---|---|
| Lemongrass | 0.7% |
| Lemon myrtle | 0.7% |
| May chang (litsea) | 0.8% |
| Lemon tea tree | 0.8% |
| Melissa (lemon balm) | 0.9% |
| Lemon verbena | 0.9% |
Oils Many Guides Flag for Caution
The following oils aren’t on Tisserand and Young’s avoid list, but many midwives and aromatherapy organizations still recommend avoiding them or using them sparingly, especially early in pregnancy:
- Clary sage: traditionally linked to uterine contractions. It’s usually saved for labor, and only under a midwife’s guidance.
- Peppermint: very strong and can be overwhelming. A drop on a tissue to sniff for nausea is a common middle ground. Avoid applying it to the skin.
- Rosemary and eucalyptus: intense and stimulating, so best kept to occasional, light inhalation.
- Clove, thyme, and basil: strong skin irritants at any time, and harsh for pregnancy skin.
When guides disagree, the cautious choice costs you very little.
Oils Generally Considered Lower-Risk
From the second trimester on, and with your provider’s OK, these oils are among those most often described as gentler choices:
- True lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): calming and often used for sleep. Check the botanical name, because Spanish lavender is on the avoid list.
- Sweet orange and mandarin: bright and uplifting. Cold-pressed citrus can make skin sun-sensitive, so diffuse them or use them where skin won’t see the sun.
- Frankincense (Boswellia carterii / sacra): grounding. Note that Boswellia papyrifera has a lower limit, so check the label.
- Roman chamomile: soft and soothing.
- Neroli and petitgrain: floral and calming.
- Ylang ylang: sweet and relaxing, best in tiny amounts because it’s very strong.
“Lower-risk” isn’t the same as risk-free. Use the smallest amount that works, and stop at the first headache, nausea, or skin reaction.
How to Use Essential Oils More Safely While Pregnant
Inhalation is the gentlest option.
- Put one drop on a tissue or a personal inhaler and sniff as needed.
- Run a diffuser for 15–30 minutes at a time with 2–3 drops, in a ventilated room, then take a break.
- Don’t diffuse all night or in a closed bedroom.
Skin use needs a low dilution. Keep to 1% or less, which is about 6 drops per 1 oz (30 ml) of carrier oil, or 1 drop per teaspoon. Patch test first, even with oils you used before pregnancy, using our guide on how to patch test essential oils properly. See why dilution matters more than you think for the full picture.
Carrier oils can do a lot on their own. For stretching skin and dryness, plain jojoba, sweet almond, or rosehip oil works well without any essential oil added. Our carrier oil guide compares them.
Never swallow essential oils. That includes “food grade” oils and drops in water or tea.
Use them occasionally, not daily. Fewer, shorter exposures keep the total dose low.
By Stage: First Trimester to Postpartum
First trimester: most guidance recommends avoiding essential oils entirely. This is the most sensitive stage of development, and nausea often makes scents unbearable anyway.
Second and third trimesters: occasional use of lower-risk oils, mostly by inhalation, or at 1% or less on the skin with your provider’s OK.
Labor: some midwives use specific blends during labor, including oils normally avoided in pregnancy, such as clary sage. That decision belongs to your care team. Don’t add essential oils to a birthing pool, and keep diffusing light, because the baby will soon be breathing that air too.
Breastfeeding: the avoid list above still applies. Don’t apply oils to the chest or breasts, where the baby could take them in directly, and keep diffusing away from the baby’s sleep space. Our beginner safety checklist covers using oils around infants.
When to Call Your Provider
Stop using the oil and contact your doctor or midwife if you notice any of the following after use:
- Contractions, cramping, or bleeding
- Dizziness, persistent headache, or vomiting
- Wheezing or shortness of breath
- A skin reaction that spreads or blisters
If an essential oil is swallowed, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (US) right away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use peppermint oil for morning sickness?
Many people sniff a single drop on a tissue, and that brief, light inhalation is the lowest-exposure way to try it. Skip applying it to the skin and never ingest it. If the smell makes the nausea worse, stop. Check with your provider first, especially in the first trimester.
Is lavender oil safe during pregnancy?
True lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is one of the oils most often considered lower-risk after the first trimester when diffused briefly or used at 1% or less. Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas) is a different oil and is on the avoid list.
Can I diffuse essential oils if my partner is pregnant?
Yes, but follow the same rules: lower-risk oils only, short sessions, a ventilated room, and somewhere she can leave if the scent bothers her.
Are essential oils safe for stretch marks?
There’s little evidence that essential oils prevent stretch marks. Massaging with a plain carrier oil like sweet almond or rosehip keeps skin supple and avoids the risk altogether. If you add an essential oil, use a lower-risk one at 1% or less.
Is it safe to use essential oils while breastfeeding?
The same avoid list applies, and you should keep oils off the chest and away from the baby’s face and sleep space. Gentle diffusing in another room is the most conservative way to use them.
Can I use essential oil products like lotions or candles?
Most scented products contain very low concentrations, so the risk is lower. Still, check the ingredient list for oils on the avoid list, and choose unscented products if a scent triggers nausea.
Final Thoughts
Pregnancy isn’t the time to explore new oils. Keep a short list of lower-risk ones, use less than you think you need, and favor a tissue or a short diffuser session over the skin. When in doubt, plain carrier oil, fresh air, and rest do much of the same work with none of the risk.
Sources: Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (2nd ed., Churchill Livingstone, 2014), pregnancy and lactation guidance; National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) safety guidelines; Alliance of International Aromatherapists (AIA) pregnancy statement.