Quick answer

NCCIH, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, says the use of turmeric supplements during pregnancy may be unsafe. We found no trial of turmeric or curcumin in pregnant women, and a 2021 review says pregnancy studies of curcumin have been done only in animals. Anyone who is pregnant should ask their doctor before taking a turmeric supplement.^1,2

Key facts

NCCIH's turmeric page, last updated April 2025, says the use of turmeric supplements during pregnancy may be unsafe.¹
NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements says to be cautious with any supplement beyond a standard prenatal supplement during pregnancy, because many have not been well tested.³
A 2021 review states that studies of curcumin during pregnancy have been performed only in animal models.²
NCCIH's pregnancy sentence names supplements. None of the sources opened for this page gives a pregnancy-specific statement about turmeric used as a spice in cooking.¹
The sources checked do not give separate findings for the first, second or third trimester.^1,3

What does NIH say about turmeric supplements in pregnancy?

NCCIH is the National Institutes of Health center for complementary and integrative health. Its turmeric page says the use of turmeric supplements during pregnancy may be unsafe. The page does not explain why, and it does not name an amount, a trimester or a length of use.¹

The rest of the page lists effects seen in people generally: digestive upset, itching or hives from curcumin on the skin, and liver damage reported with highly absorbable curcumin products. It tells readers to talk with their health care providers about any complementary health approach they use.¹

NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements gives general guidance in its consumer guide to supplements. It says to be cautious with dietary supplements, beyond a standard prenatal supplement, if you are pregnant or nursing, because many supplements have not been well tested for safety in pregnant women.³

Have turmeric or curcumin supplements been studied in pregnant women?

When we searched PubMed on October 11, 2026 for turmeric or curcumin in pregnancy, we found no randomized trial in pregnant women. A 2021 review of curcumin and pregnancy outcomes says the studies done during pregnancy have been in animal models only.²

A 2023 laboratory study put chick embryo heart cells in a dish with curcumin. At the highest concentrations tested, curcumin reduced cell activity and total protein, and the authors called the findings at high concentrations a concern. Cells in a dish are not a pregnant person, so this does not show what a supplement does in pregnancy. The authors asked for further research in animals.⁴

Does the trimester change what the sources say?

No. NCCIH and NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements give one statement for pregnancy as a whole. Neither says the first, second or third trimester carries more or less concern. That is not a finding that any stage is fine, so anyone who is pregnant, at any stage, should ask their doctor or midwife before using a turmeric supplement.^1,3

What about turmeric in cooking?

NCCIH's pregnancy sentence names supplements. The sources we opened for this page do not address turmeric used as a spice in food during pregnancy. That is not a finding either way, so ask your doctor or midwife about the amounts you use.¹

Curcumin products vary in how much curcumin they actually contain, and many add substances from other plants, such as piperine from black pepper.¹

That is why the label matters when you ask. Bring the Supplement Facts panel, note how much curcumin it lists, and check whether piperine or black pepper extract is in the product.¹

Who should ask a doctor before using turmeric during pregnancy?

Anyone who is pregnant, before starting any turmeric or curcumin supplement.^1,3
Anyone who has had liver problems with any supplement, because NCCIH says liver damage has been reported with highly absorbable curcumin products.¹
Anyone who takes warfarin or an antiplatelet medicine, because NIH's breastfeeding database says turmeric may raise bleeding risk with these medicines.⁵
Anyone who takes a prescription medicine, because NCCIH says some herbs and medicines interact in harmful ways.¹

NCCIH advises stopping turmeric or curcumin and talking with a health care provider at any sign of liver damage, such as tiredness, nausea, poor appetite, dark urine or yellowing of the skin or eyes.¹

Questions people ask

Is turmeric safe during pregnancy first trimester?

NCCIH says turmeric supplements may be unsafe during pregnancy and does not separate the trimesters. Ask your doctor or midwife before using one in the first trimester.¹

Is turmeric safe during pregnancy third trimester?

The sources checked give no separate finding for the second or third trimester. NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements urges caution with any supplement beyond a standard prenatal supplement, and NCCIH's warning covers pregnancy as a whole.^1,3

Is curcumin safe during pregnancy?

NCCIH covers turmeric and curcumin on one page, and calls curcumin a major component of turmeric. Its pregnancy sentence names turmeric supplements, and a 2021 review found curcumin studies in pregnancy only in animals, so ask your doctor about any curcumin product.^1,2

Is turmeric safe early pregnancy?

If you took turmeric before you knew you were pregnant, the sources checked give no finding about early exposure either way. Tell your doctor or midwife what you took and how much.^1,3

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