Nutmeg Oil During Pregnancy and Nursing: What We Know

Ask whether nutmeg oil is fine during pregnancy and the most honest answer is that nobody has studied it, which is exactly why we are cautious. We do not recommend our nutmeg oil for anyone who is pregnant or nursing. Here is the thinking behind that, and the people who are best placed to give you advice that fits your own situation.

Nutmeg Essential Oil

Our own Nutmeg Essential Oil, in sizes from 0.5 oz to bulk.

From $10.99

Shop Now →

A little context first

Many people who ask this question are craft makers or candle lovers, planning a cozy autumn, and a firm no can feel like a letdown. We understand. The spice will be there next season, and a little patience is a small price for peace of mind.

What the research does not cover

We could find no pregnancy study of nutmeg essential oil by any route, whether inhaled, applied or swallowed. That is not unusual for essential oils. MotherToBaby, the teratology information service, notes that depending on the product there may be few studies on its use in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and that skin products usually do not lead to large absorption. It is careful to add that a lack of studies does not mean an oil is harmful or helpful, only that it has not been looked at, and it recommends talking to a healthcare provider before using a product.

A pinch of nutmeg in a baked dish and a bottle of concentrated oil are very different exposures, so advice about the spice in food does not carry across to the oil. We agree with the MotherToBaby spirit on the oil. A gap in the research is not a green light, and with a concentrated oil like this one it makes sense to lean cautious.

Why we say it plainly

We would rather tell you straight than bury the point in qualifications. We sell a scented oil, and no scent is worth a doubt when you are pregnant or nursing. Our recommendation is simply to leave it on the shelf for now, and to enjoy the spice in other ways until you have spoken to your care team.

Why nutmeg oil gets extra care

Nutmeg oil contains safrole and methyleugenol, two compounds that regulators watch closely. In the seven Indonesian batches analysed for the European Food Safety Authority, safrole ran from 1.69% to 2.30% and methyleugenol from 0.18% to 0.33%. EFSA classes the oil as a category 1B carcinogen because of its safrole, and describes it as an irritant to skin and eyes and a sensitiser of skin and airways. That classification is a hazard label for handling a concentrated material. It is not a finding about pregnancy, and it says nothing about what a person breathes in a lightly scented room.

It does help explain why nutmeg oil appears on cautious lists. The Tisserand Institute's nutmeg chart gives a pregnancy maximum for topical use of 0.2% for East Indian type oil and 1% for West Indian type. Because we do not describe our oils by type, we do not offer either figure as a target. Our guidance is simply that we recommend against it while pregnant or nursing.

Nursing

We found no source on nutmeg essential oil in a nursing parent or baby. There is a more everyday consideration, which is that a baby within reach of an open bottle is a swallowing risk. Our children's post covers storage in detail.

Who to ask

An obstetrician, midwife or other maternity clinician is the right person for a decision about a specific pregnancy. MotherToBaby also answers questions about particular exposures. It helps to bring the product name, whether you are talking about diffusing, a diluted skin product or something swallowed (the route changes the question), how often and where it is used, and any medicines you take. Our medications post explains why that last item matters. If anyone has swallowed the oil, call Poison Help on 1-800-222-1222 in the United States.

Gifts and shared spaces

If you are shopping for someone who is expecting, or you share a home with someone who is, choose gifts that do not rely on concentrated oils. A warm blanket, a candle-free jar of dried orange peel and cinnamon sticks, or a bag of whole spices from the grocery makes a thoughtful present. If you craft with nutmeg oil yourself, consider doing it in a room the other person does not use, and keep the bottle capped and put away.

A scent for the kitchen instead

If it is the smell of nutmeg you are missing, a warm spice scent can come straight from the kitchen. Simmering orange peel with a cinnamon stick fills a home with autumn without any concentrated oil. We sell a cosmetic aroma material and do not offer advice about pregnancy symptoms, so we will leave that conversation to your care team. If you are not pregnant and wonder about using the oil in a room, the diffuser post is a good next read.

Being careful with a lovely oil is part of enjoying it. When the question is pregnancy, careful means waiting for advice that comes from someone who knows you.