Herbs can be used as alternatives to “the pill.”

Tremendous amounts of money are spent convincing women to use artificial hormone therapy for most of their lives. Drug companies have propaganda to promote their drugs during reproductive years, around menopause, and after menopause. Artificial estrogens — such as birth control pills — can cause liver problems, so people taking them should, at the very least, provide support for their liver. There are natural hormones which are much safer and do not require abusing young horses to produce. There are more natural approaches to hormone replacement.

As a Naturopath, my goal is to empower people to take control of their health and their lives. Control of pregnancy is important. Surprisingly, most people do not research the alternatives, but listen to their physicians who have a pill “for everything that ails you.” I would encourage women and men to study this important subject. There are several books on natural family planning available through the Bastyr University Bookstore, Left Bank Books in Pike Place Market, and at the library.

I think the best choices for birth control include fertility awareness, condoms, and cervical caps. Herbs are not my first choice, but can be used for three purposes: to decrease fertility, to prevent pregnancy, or to cause an abortion. If a person takes herbs for birth control and still gets pregnant, it is very important to consult a professional who is knowledgeable about herbs.

Many practitioners giving advice on the subject will require a woman to agree to having an abortion if pregnancy develops while using herbs in this way, especially when herbs are used that can hurt the fetus. Having said this, realize that MDs are putting pregnant women who test HIV positive on AZT because they think this will decrease the possibility of vertical transmission of AIDS (from mother to child), even though AZT is one of the most toxic drugs ever created, orders of magnitude more poisonous than any herb I can think of.

The following information is provided for educational purposes only. Some of these medicinal plants are toxic, even in low doses, and some have been used to cause permanent sterility. Please do not use these without thoroughly researching their uses and getting professional advice.

Herbs that may decrease fertility: wild carrot seeds, thistle Herbs that may help to prevent pregnancy: herbs which bring on menstrual flow called “emenagogues” and uterine stimulants include: yarrow, angelica, wormwood, mugwort, blue cohosh, black cohosh, myrrh, saffron, turmeric, hyssop, motherwort, horehound, nasturtium, catnip, parsley, rosemary, rue, tansy, cedar, vitex, ragweed Herbs that may cause an abortion: cotton, blue cohosh, saffron, broom, rosemary, rue, tansy, cedar, pennyroyal, American mistletoe, milkweed