I’ve written before on the highly effective use of fertility herbs in women. I myself used herbs to encourage fertility with my first pregnancy as my husband and I did not attempt to start a family until I was well into my 30’s.
Once we discovered the wonders of Traditional Diet, however, I no longer needed any herbal assistance with later pregnancies. Herbs are also highly effective at dampening fertility in order to naturally and safely prevent pregnancy. When would such use of natural birth control be beneficial?
For one, herbal birth control would be helpful to use between pregnancies in order to space children 3-4 years apart. This allows Mom to adequately replenish her nutritional stores so that later children are just as healthy, smart and capable as the first. Spacing children a minimum of 3 years apart (birthday to birthday) was rigorously practiced in ancestral cultures. It preserves Mom’s health and prevents exhaustion and nutritional deficiency for her too.
Natural methods of birth control are always preferable to chemically based agents such as spermicides, contraceptive patches, and IUDs which emit synthetic hormones, or the contraceptive pill which decimates the balance of gut flora and can lead to autoimmune disease in the mother and any children born later.
Even IUDs that emit only copper instead of hormones to prevent pregnancy should be avoided as copper toxicity is a very real and dangerous side effect of using these devices. According to Theresa Vernon, LAc author of the article Metals and the Mind:
If adrenal function becomes impaired, the copper builds up in the liver, brain, joints, and lungs. When this happens, you see very specific problems, including mental problems, liver problems, and detoxification problems. Phase II liver impairment is often made worse by copper toxicity, if not actually caused by it.
You also see a lot of copper toxicity with asthma and breathing problems, including emphysema. Copper also tends to build up in the joints, leading to arthritis. Chronic skin problems are also an indication of copper toxicity.
Low adrenal function is an epidemic in our modern society. If you doubt this, just walk into any convenience store and notice the enormous display of energy shots and drinks that are available for sale. Not to mention that a Starbucks or other coffee shop is virtually on every corner of most major cities. Americans have serious adrenal health problems. As a result, many are addicted to caffeine and sugar as a way to make it through the day. This makes any excess copper in the system a huge health problem!
Artificial contraception may be tempting in the short term. However, it is clearly not a great idea if preserving your long term hormone and gut health is important to you.
Herbs for Natural Birth Control
The use of anti-fertility herbs along with a simple barrier method such as the female or male condom that is not treated with chemicals (such as natural lambskin) works very effectively for preventing pregnancy. This option is especially attractive for health-conscious women who are not particularly turned on by the thought of charting their cycles, taking their basal metabolic temperature every morning, checking the stretchiness of their vaginal secretions and practicing selective abstinence a la Natural Family Planning which for some ladies over analyzes and saps the spontaneity out of what should be a very natural, uncomplicated and enjoyable event.
So if herbal birth control appeals to you, here are the different types and how they work as outlined in the very helpful book Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year. Please note that if sourcing your own herbs is new to you, a well-respected herbalist or acupuncturist in your area can put together a bag of herbs to assist you with natural birth control for an extremely reasonable cost. These professionally sourced herbs mixed in the proper proportions can then be used to prepare a cold or a hot herbal infusion that you drink periodically to keep fertility in check and under your control.
Sterility Promoting Herbs
Stoneseed Root. Women of the Dakota Indian tribes used this extremely powerful herb as a root infusion steeped in cold water for several hours. They then drank a cup every day for 6 months. The Dakota women also practiced breathing in the smoke of the plant as it burned to induce permanent sterility.
The Shoshone tribes concentrated in Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and Montana also used this root for permanent sterility purposes.
Jack in the Pulpit Root. This root is less powerful than stoneseed root and is prepared by mixing one tsp of the dried powdered root in a half cup of cold water. The liquid is then strained and was consumed by women of the Hopi Tribe. Conception was prevented for one week by doing this.
Thistles. The Quinault Indians used thistles to induce temporary sterility by placing the entire plant in boiling water. The very bitter, strong tasting liquid was then consumed.
Herbs that Prevent Pregnancy
Wild Carrot Seed (Queen Anne’s Lace). This oily and strong tasting but not unpleasant herb is particularly useful if an “oops” occurs and unprotected relations take place during the fertile time. One teaspoon of carrot seeds is taken immediately and continued each day for another 7 days.
The women of Rajasthan, India use carrot seed for this exact purpose. While wild carrot seed is not commercially available, cultivated carrot seeds can be substituted but be sure to check that they haven’t been treated with chemicals or other toxic substances.
Research in mice has proven the effectiveness of carrot seed to prevent implantation.
Smartweed Leaves. A common weed that grows all over the world, smartweed contains rutin, quercetin, and gallic acid. All of these substances interfere with the initiation of pregnancy.
An infusion of one ounce of dried leaves (or 4 ounces of fresh leaves) in a quart of boiling water is consumed liberally until menstruation begins.
Like carrot seed, smartweed may also be used after relations occur on fertile days or to bring on menstruation if the period is late.
Rutin. This phenolic compound can be purchased in tablet form. A minimum of 500 mg should be taken daily for several days before and following ovulation. Another option is to consume rutin after sexual relations and continue each day until menstruation begins.
Herbs Which Initiate Menstruation
Ginger root. Ginger is perhaps the fastest acting menstruation initiating herb you can use. Put 1 tsp of powdered organic ginger root into a cup and pour boiling water over it. Drink when the water cools to a temperature which is still hot but comfortable. Drink up to 4 cups per day for no more than 5 days.
Vitamin C. While plain ascorbic acid is not the natural form of Vitamin C, it can be used therapeutically on occasion to bring on menstruation if necessary. Take 500 mg every hour for 12 hours each day for up to 6 days maximum. The use of ascorbic acid in this high dosage may also produce loose bowels as a side effect.
Do the Implantation Preventers prevent the sperm from implanting the egg or is this if insemination has occurs?
There are a spectrum of belief systems out there, and some of us find this information useful. Thanks, Sarah.
For those of you considering your options, I would highly recommend the Creighton Model Fertility Care system. This post points out the negatives of natural family planning. If that’s all you look at, I’m sure you will be dissatisfied with it, just as you would be if you only looked at the negatives of anything else in life. NFP does take some effort on your part. So does preparing traditional food, but we do it anyway because it’s good for us. Using NFP can really help your marriage. You’ll also learn to read your body and be much more in-tune with your health. I can see patterns in my charting based on stress and nutrition. I can also determine if the day is fertile or not in less time (combined time throughout the day) than it takes to make a cup of tea. You can use this method to avoid pregnancy (99% method effective, 96% use effective), or to achieve a pregnancy (76% by first cycle with normal fertility). This is empowering, freeing, and something wonderful to share with your husband! A functioning reproductive system is HEALTHY! Why do something to destroy or impair it?
I am curious what action the herbs have that they could prevent pregnancy, implantation, or cause permanent sterility.
Sarah, just wanted to say thank you for posting this. While I also believe life begins at the conception, I am aware that there is often opportunity for the egg not to implant without the woman ever being aware she had conceived. Thus, my lack of concern regarding the use of birth control, other than that of my own health so I may give birth to healthy children when I am ready.
Sarah, thank you. I know there are a lot of comments on here that do not accept what you have written and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but as a 20-something who has only been married a year, I am just wanting to drop my birth control pills, as I have dropped the rest of my prescriptions and go to natural methods (herbs included) of family planning. Obviously, I am still learning and I am gaining knowledge on the best way to get rid of the pills, as I have been on them for WAY too long – I was prescribed them to “regulate” my periods and I definitely have disrupted gut flora 🙁
I agree 100% with Kimberly Schnitker above. Once you have an embryo it’s a baby. Taking herbs or Vitamin C to prevent the embryo from implanting is abortion. I love your blog but it’s kinda crazy that the blog suggests that we are horrible moms if we give our kids boxed cereal but it’s okay and normal to take herbs to abort a brand new fetus.
As a health practioner I am disappointed in this blog. Using herbs is a natural way to help the body work more efficiently. Messing with how our bodies were intended to work brings dis-ease. Dangerous.
Wow, what a misleading post, not into the agenda here. So long!
I also like NFP in combination with a barrier method (like a cervical cap) on the fertile days… and think about a natural sponge to enjoy the period days without making a mess 🙂
It baffles the mind why some people are so concerned with how others choose to live their lives. If you don’t think it’s right to get an abortion or even use herbs to prevent pregnancy then don’t get one/use them. Although I don’t agree with everything Sarah says regarding nutrition I pick and choose the bits and pieces that suit me and how I choose to live my life. For me this post was relevant as I am currently looking for natural ways to treat my infertility. So thank you Sarah. Similarly if I see a post I don’t agree with/have no interest in I skip past it, as I suggest those who have a problem with this one do and let everyone get back to living their lives the way they choose.
These people aren’t concerned with how others choose to live their lives. They are concerned with others not allowing another to live theirs.
Exactly.
So let’s just make murder legal or child abduction… as long as it doesn’t affect you. This is an extremely weak argument. I suppose you get to decide on morality for the nation.
What I was saying is this is not the forum to be having a pro life/pro choice debate. I don’t believe that was sarah’s intention with regards to this particular post. Sarah’s blog is about empowerment over out bodies and what we choose to put in them, whether that be food or medicine and yes,whether we choose to have a baby or not. If you don’t subscribe to her beliefs then like I said before DON’T READ IT. There are plenty of other forums you can have that debate.
As far as deciding on the morality of the nation, the majority has already collectively decided that a woman has the legal right to decide what happens to her body. So like I said before if you don’t agree with abortion DON’T GET ONE.
As for me personally I could never have an abortion but far be it for me to deny that option to any other woman. What about the victims of rape or incest who fall pregnant? Would you deny them the right to control what happens to their body? What if that person was your sister, friend or daughter? Would you force them to go through with an unwanted pregnancy? Regardless of the circumstances the vast majority of women who come to the decision to abort do not come to it easily and it’s something they have to live with for the rest of their of their lives, but it’s legal for them do it and they should be left to do so without the judgement of others.
Actually, the majority never got to have a say on abortion…that was decided by the Supreme Court.
Hey Alex,
Do you believe in slavery? If not, then don’t own a slave! That line of reasoning is completely illogical! “I would never actually get an abortion myself, but if anyone else wants to murder their unborn child, it’s their right.”
Jennifer your argument is the illogical one. Slavery is illegal abortion is not.
Beth, The President of the United States appoints the supreme court justices “by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.” The president and senators are there because the MAJORITY have elected them, they represent the MAJORITY’S onions and values. Democracy 101.
*opinions (typo)
Alex, slavery is illegal now (in the US; still legal and thriving in many other countries) but was considered legal and “normal” less than 150 years ago. Who’s to say that 50-100, 200 years from now, our civilization won’t look back at this point in time as the same scourge on our nation’s history? When we stood silently by (because that’s what your “don’t have one” reasoning suggests) and allowed millions of children to be murdered in the name of convenience? I can show you plenty of things that are perfectly legal that are not RIGHT!
As for your democracy 101 lesson, the supreme court justices (all MEN, by the way, in the Roe v. Wade decision, for all those who use the “this is a women’s issue, men have no say” argument) are appointed by the sitting president and CONFIRMED by the senate (two senators per state). Those senator confirm the justices, not by a majority vote from the people they represent, but by a simple majority of the senate (as little as 51%) after a recommendation by the committee that does the hearing. Then that justice is on the court for LIFE. To insinuate that the justices who voted to uphold Roe v. Wade were a fair representation of the MAJORITY of the US is completely wrong. NEVER, in the history of our country (even NOW) has there been a majority of American people who support abortion without reservation. To say the justices would represent a MAJORITY’S values shows a very misguided understanding of the Supreme Court’s job. All they can do is decide the CONSTITUTIONALITY of a case, no more. The fact that Roe v. Wade paved the way for all abortions to be legal (and tax-payer funded) is such a gross overstepping of their legal purview, anyone using as a “just” reason in the abortion debate should be ashamed!