| During the last month of your pregnancy, you | | | | Pharmacists have known the effects of natural |
| might feel miserable with your skin feeling like it | | | | licorice for long. As natural licorice and the chemical |
| will just burst away with all that baby pressure. | | | | glycyrrhizin tend to cause contractions of the |
| Clinging to your due date, like a shining beacon of | | | | uterus, it has been used to bring on labor when |
| hope and comfort, could be the reason for | | | | the pregnancy becomes overdue. Actually, some |
| keeping you going. But if your 40 weeks passes | | | | pharmacists might even recommend licorice |
| by without any signs, you might be ready to try | | | | instead of castor oil when you are buying |
| anything to bring on labor. | | | | something to bring on labor. |
| You must have heard that remedies, such as | | | | Before you are too desperate to try any labor |
| castor oil, sexual intercourse and spicy foods, | | | | inducing remedy, you should understand that |
| could bring on labor. Additionally, raspberry leaf | | | | herbal remedies can be powerful. Herbs can be |
| tea, brisk walking, and nipple stimulation, are all | | | | just as harmful as using medications, especially |
| ways that some midwives, nurses, grandmothers | | | | when used during the wrong times or in large |
| and friends recommend to bring on labor, without | | | | doses. Also, it's beneficial to know that, in general, |
| the help of major pharmaceuticals. | | | | licorice could affect hormone production in the |
| But candy? | | | | adrenal glands. It could also cause low potassium |
| It is true that licorice could bring on labor, speeding | | | | levels, high blood pressure, and other complications |
| up the wait for delivery! When in full term | | | | in some people. Thus, it's important to take |
| pregnancy, eating large amounts of black licorice | | | | medicinal herbs only under supervision of an |
| could bring on labor. There is also scientific proof | | | | experienced herbalist. |
| supporting this. Natural licorice contains glycyrrhizin, | | | | If you have eaten some licorice candies recently, |
| which is one of the main components of licorice | | | | there is no need to panic though. The licorice sold |
| root, and the reason for its sweet taste. In | | | | in most stores, similar to Twizlers, does not |
| recent studies, glycyrrhizin has been associated | | | | contain enough actual licorice. It may be |
| with preterm delivery. An international group of | | | | necessary to speak to the pharmacist in order to |
| researchers found out that heavy consumption of | | | | get natural licorice, containing a high enough level |
| licorice (500 mg/week) was associated with a | | | | of glycyrrhizin, to bring on labor. |
| more than twofold increased risk of early | | | | After birth licorice can be helpful: black licorice is |
| delivery, which means giving birth on week 37, or | | | | also a mild laxative. So, eating black licorice, or |
| earlier (Am J Epidemiol). Thus, pregnant women | | | | drinking tea containing licorice root, works great as |
| should avoid using black licorice as a supplement, | | | | a post-partum stool softener that makes your life |
| or consuming large amounts of licorice as food, | | | | a little bit easier. |
| before their estimated due date. | | | | |