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Is elderberry safe during pregnancy?

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements says the safety of elderberry during pregnancy is not known, and that experts recommend against elderberry supplements for women who are pregnant. NCCIH also says little is known. We found no trial in pregnancy. Raw or unripe berries and other parts of the plant can cause nausea, vomiting and severe diarrhea. Ask your doctor first.1,2

Key facts

  • NIH's fact sheet for health professionals says the safety of elderberry during pregnancy is not known, so experts recommend against elderberry supplements for women who are pregnant.1
  • NIH's consumer sheet says scientists do not know whether elderberry is safe to use during pregnancy.3
  • NCCIH says little is known about whether elderberry is safe for health purposes during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.2
  • The 2021 systematic review found five randomized trials of elderberry, lasting 2 to 16 days, mostly in people who were already unwell, and its text does not mention pregnant participants.1,4
  • Raw or unripe elderberries, and the leaves, stems, bark and seeds, contain substances that can release cyanide, which cooking destroys.2

What do NIH and NCCIH say about elderberry in pregnancy?

Both agencies speak plainly, and they agree. NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements writes in its health professional fact sheet that the safety of elderberry during pregnancy is not known, so experts recommend against the use of elderberry supplements by women who are pregnant. Its consumer fact sheet says scientists do not know whether elderberry is safe to use during pregnancy.1,3

NCCIH, the NIH center for complementary health, says little is known about elderberry for health purposes during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Neither source cites a trial in pregnant women, and we found none.2

The recommendation against it comes from experts who lack data, not from a study that found harm.1

What do the elderberry trials cover?

The 2021 systematic review included five randomized trials, lasting 2 to 16 days, four of them in people who were already unwell. It reported no serious adverse events, and it said the limited attention to adverse events means minor ones are uncertain.1,4

Trials have used syrups, lozenges, capsules and an infusion, from different makers at different strengths, so a result with one product may not hold for another.4

Short trials in people with respiratory illness do not tell us what months of elderberry would do in pregnancy, and the trials did not set out to look.4

Which parts of the plant raise a concern?

Raw or unripe elderberries, and the leaves, stems, bark and seeds, contain substances that can release cyanide and cause nausea, vomiting and severe diarrhea. Cooking destroys them, so cooked fruit and properly processed products do not carry this concern.1,2

NIH's fact sheet for consumers adds that the flowers and ripe fruit appear to be fine to eat, that cooked fruit and properly made supplements do not have the cyanide concern, and that the raw plant can cause dehydration alongside the vomiting and diarrhea. That sheet's pregnancy statement is about elderberry supplements, and we found no source on elderflower in pregnancy.1,3

Who should ask their doctor before using elderberry while pregnant?

  • Anyone who is pregnant, or trying to become pregnant, should ask their doctor before using an elderberry supplement, because experts recommend against it when safety is unknown.1
  • Anyone with diabetes, including diabetes that begins in pregnancy, should ask their doctor, because NIH says elderberry might affect insulin and blood sugar levels.1,3
  • Anyone who takes any prescription medicine should ask their pharmacist, because NCCIH says some herbs and medicines interact in harmful ways.2

Questions people ask

Is elderberry safe during pregnancy?

NIH says the safety of elderberry during pregnancy is not known, and that experts recommend against elderberry supplements for women who are pregnant. Ask your doctor.1

Is elderberry safe during pregnancy in the third trimester?

None of the sources we read give a statement for a particular trimester. NIH and NCCIH say the safety in pregnancy is not known. Ask your doctor.1,2

Is elderflower safe during pregnancy?

NIH says elder flowers and ripe fruit appear fine to eat in general, but its pregnancy statement is about elderberry supplements, and we found no source on elderflower in pregnancy. Ask your doctor.1,3

Is elderberry safe during the first trimester?

No source we read tested elderberry in any stage of pregnancy. NCCIH says little is known, so ask your doctor.2

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Sources

  1. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplements for Immune Function and Infectious Diseases: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated March 10, 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.
  2. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Elderberry. Last updated November 2024. Opened 2026-10-07.
  3. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplements for Immune Function and Infectious Diseases: Fact Sheet for Consumers. Updated March 10, 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.
  4. Wieland LS, Piechotta V, Feinberg T, et al. Elderberry for prevention and treatment of viral respiratory illnesses: a systematic review. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2021;21(1):112. Opened 2026-10-01.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.