Is eucalyptus oil safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about eucalyptus oil during pregnancy?

1. Products used on the skin usually are not absorbed in large amounts, but constant use, application to broken skin or large areas, and swallowing all raise absorption substantially, and checking with a provider before using any such product is advised. 1
2. Two adults who each swallowed about 15 ml of eucalyptus oil developed seizures and severe metabolic acidosis and required intensive care with mechanical ventilation. 2
3. In children, eucalyptus oil has triggered seizures 15 to 25 minutes after swallowing, within 2 to 5 minutes after inhaling, and in one case hours after a scalp application, yet commercial packaging often carries no warning. 3
4. Essential oils are typically inhaled or applied in diluted form to the skin, and little rigorous research has been done on whether they deliver the benefits attributed to them. 4
5. Herbal and botanical products are regulated differently from prescription medicines, with no standards for ingredients or strength, so the concentration in one bottle may not match another. 5

Is eucalyptus oil safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. Congestion often starts earlier in pregnancy than people expect, and eucalyptus is usually the first thing reached for. There is no pregnancy safety data behind it. A saline rinse or spray does the same mechanical job with a much longer track record.
• Second trimester. Pregnancy rhinitis tends to peak around now as blood volume rises and nasal tissue swells. If you use eucalyptus in a shower steam, keep it brief, keep the room ventilated, and never apply the neat oil directly to skin or under your nose.
• Third trimester. Nothing changes for you late in pregnancy, but plan ahead for the newborn phase. Eucalyptus oil has caused seizures in young children by ingestion, inhalation, and skin application, so store bottles well out of reach before your baby arrives.