Lemongrass tea is generally not considered safe during pregnancy. Major drug and herb references classify it as “contraindicated” or “avoid use” for pregnant women, primarily because of two compounds found in lemongrass: citral and myrcene. While a small amount of lemongrass used as a cooking seasoning is a very different thing from drinking concentrated tea, the lack of established safe doses for pregnant women means most guidance errs on the side of caution.
Why Lemongrass Raises Concerns
The two compounds that worry researchers most are citral and myrcene, both present in significant amounts in lemongrass. Citral blocks a key step in how your body produces retinoic acid, the active form of vitamin A that plays a critical role in fetal organ development. In animal studies, citral suppressed the enzyme responsible for converting vitamin A into its usable form, which in turn disrupted normal fetal development. Citral also showed estrogen-mimicking effects in rats, binding to estrogen receptors and potentially interfering with hormonal balance during pregnancy.
Myrcene, another major component, has been studied more directly in pregnant animals. When given to pregnant rats from day 15 of pregnancy through weaning, doses of 0.5 grams per kilogram of body weight and above decreased birth weight, increased deaths around the time of birth, and delayed developmental milestones in the offspring. Only the lowest dose tested (0.25 g/kg) showed no adverse effects. These are animal studies using concentrated extracts, not human studies of tea drinking, but they form the basis for the precautionary stance.
High doses of lemongrass have also shown both developmental toxicity and abortifacient effects, meaning they can potentially cause pregnancy loss. A safety review published in Frontiers in Pharmacology classified lemongrass as contraindicated during pregnancy based on this evidence.
Cooking With Lemongrass vs. Drinking the Tea
There’s an important distinction between adding a stalk of lemongrass to a curry and steeping it in hot water to make tea. When you use lemongrass as a seasoning, you’re consuming a tiny amount that’s diluted into a full dish. When you brew lemongrass tea, especially if you steep it for a long time or use a lot of plant material, you create a much more concentrated extraction of citral and myrcene.
The dose matters. The animal studies showing harm used concentrated extracts at relatively high doses. A single stalk in a pot of soup is unlikely to deliver anywhere near those levels. But a strong cup of tea, or multiple cups daily, pushes the concentration higher. Because no human studies have established where the safe line is for pregnant women, the standard recommendation is to avoid lemongrass tea entirely rather than try to guess at a safe amount.
How Common Is Lemongrass Use in Pregnancy?
Despite the warnings, plenty of women do drink lemongrass tea while pregnant, often without knowing about the concerns. A cross-sectional study of pregnant women in São Paulo, Brazil, found that lemongrass was among the most commonly used medicinal herbs during pregnancy in that population. Women typically used it for relaxation or digestive comfort. The researchers flagged this as a significant gap between what women are doing and what the evidence supports, noting that many popular herbal teas carry risks that aren’t well communicated by healthcare providers.
Safer Alternatives for Common Complaints
If you’re drawn to lemongrass tea for nausea, stress, or digestion, there are herbal options with better safety profiles during pregnancy. Ginger tea has solid evidence supporting its use for morning sickness and is widely considered safe in moderate amounts. Peppermint tea is another option commonly used for nausea and bloating without the same level of concern. Rooibos tea is caffeine-free and has no known contraindications during pregnancy.
If you’ve already had a cup or two of lemongrass tea during your pregnancy, the risk from occasional, light consumption is very low. The concerns are primarily about regular or concentrated use. That said, avoiding it for the remainder of pregnancy is the simplest way to eliminate any uncertainty, especially during the first trimester when fetal organ development is most sensitive to disruption.