Can You Take Elderberry While Pregnant? What to Know

If you're expecting, it's understandable to wonder, “Can you take elderberry while pregnant?”

Pregnancy has a way of making you look at many everyday choices differently. Foods, supplements, and wellness products that may have been part of your routine for years can suddenly come with new questions, and elderberry is no exception.

European black elderberry (Sambucus nigra) has a long history of traditional use, and modern research has explored certain elderberry preparations in the general population. But research specifically evaluating elderberry safety during pregnancy is very limited.

That doesn't mean elderberry has been proven unsafe during pregnancy. It means we don't have enough pregnancy-specific evidence to establish that elderberry supplements are safe for every expecting mother.

At The POWER of Elderberries®, we believe that distinction matters.

Here's what we know, what we don't know, and what to consider with your prenatal care provider if elderberry is already part of your wellness routine or you're thinking about adding it.

Is Elderberry Safe During Pregnancy?

At this time, there isn't enough research to establish the safety of elderberry supplements during pregnancy.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health states that little is known about whether elderberry is safe to use for health purposes during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

A published review specifically examining elderberry and pregnancy also found a lack of studies evaluating the safety of elderberry during pregnancy.

So if you're asking “Can I take elderberry while pregnant?” or “Can pregnant women take elderberry?”, the most accurate answer is that we don't have enough evidence to give a universal yes or no.

That's why we recommend discussing elderberry with your obstetrician, midwife, or other prenatal healthcare provider before using it during pregnancy.

Can You Take Black Elderberry While Pregnant?

Black elderberry, or Sambucus nigra, is the European elderberry species commonly found in elderberry wellness products and used in a number of modern elderberry studies.

But identifying the species doesn't resolve the pregnancy question.

Research involving Sambucus nigra in nonpregnant populations shouldn't automatically be used to establish its safety during pregnancy.

So whether you're asking “Can you take black elderberry while pregnant?” or simply "Can you have elderberry while pregnant?”, the same limitation applies: pregnancy-specific safety data are insufficient.

For more information about this particular elderberry species, visit Chapter Three: European Black Elderberries in our Complete Guide to Elderberries.

Does the Type of Elderberry Product Matter During Pregnancy?

Yes, because “elderberry” can describe many very different products.

Someone searching “Can you take elderberry syrup while pregnant?” may be considering a completely different formula from someone asking about elderberry gummies, vitamins, capsules, or tinctures.

Products can differ in:

• Elderberry species

• Preparation method

• Concentration

• Serving amount

• Added herbs or botanicals

• Sweeteners

• Preservatives

• Other active ingredients

That's why it's important to evaluate the entire product, not elderberry in isolation.

If you're considering an elderberry product while pregnant, bring its complete Supplement Facts or ingredient panel to your prenatal healthcare provider.

They can consider the actual formula alongside your health history, medications, prenatal vitamins, other supplements, and individual pregnancy.

Can You Take Elderberry Syrup While Pregnant?

There isn't enough pregnancy-specific research to establish that elderberry syrup is safe during pregnancy simply because it is a syrup rather than another supplement format.

Elderberry syrups can also vary considerably from one brand to another.

Some begin with whole elderberries. Others use juice, concentrates, powders, or extracts. Additional ingredients can differ substantially too.

If you're searching for the best elderberry syrup for pregnancy, we would approach the question differently: there isn't enough evidence to identify one elderberry syrup as universally best or appropriate during pregnancy.

Instead, review the complete formula with your prenatal healthcare provider so they can help determine whether that specific product is appropriate for you.

Can You Take Elderberry Gummies While Pregnant?

The same principle applies to elderberry gummies during pregnancy.

A gummy is simply a delivery format. It doesn't tell you everything about what's inside.

Different elderberry gummies can contain different amounts and forms of elderberry along with sweeteners, vitamins, minerals, herbs, flavorings, or other ingredients.

So whether you're wondering “Can you take elderberry gummies when pregnant?” or considering elderberry vitamins or another chewable supplement, check the complete ingredient panel rather than assuming that all elderberry products are interchangeable.

What About Elderberry Tinctures During Pregnancy?

Elderberry tinctures deserve their own consideration because tinctures can contain ingredients and concentrations that differ significantly from syrups, gummies, and other preparations.

If you're wondering “Can you take elderberry tincture while pregnant?”, the lack of pregnancy-specific elderberry safety evidence still applies, and the other components of the tincture should also be considered.

This is another situation where your prenatal healthcare provider should evaluate the specific product rather than elderberry as a general category.

Can You Take Elderberry Daily While Pregnant?

We also see the question “Can you take elderberry daily while pregnant?”

There isn't enough evidence to establish a universally safe daily elderberry regimen during pregnancy.

Research in other populations shouldn't be used to assume that taking elderberry every day during pregnancy is appropriate.

If elderberry was already part of your everyday routine before becoming pregnant, pregnancy is a good time to revisit that routine with your prenatal care provider rather than simply continuing it because you've used it before.

Why Do People Consider Elderberry During Pregnancy?

People may already be familiar with elderberry because of its traditional use and its popularity in seasonal wellness routines.

European black elderberries naturally contain anthocyanins and other polyphenols with antioxidant properties. Certain elderberry preparations have also been studied in the general population in relation to upper respiratory symptoms.

But general elderberry research isn't the same as pregnancy research.

We don't currently have enough evidence to conclude that elderberry provides specific benefits during pregnancy, and the presence of naturally occurring antioxidants doesn't establish that an elderberry supplement is appropriate for someone who is pregnant.

If you'd like to explore what research tells us about elderberry in the general population, visit Elderberry Benefits: What It's Commonly Used For & What Research Tells Us.

Can You Take Elderberry While Breastfeeding?

Many of the same questions continue after a baby arrives, including “Can you take black elderberry while breastfeeding?” and “Can you take elderberry syrup while breastfeeding?”

Research here is limited too.

There aren't adequate data showing how components of elderberry supplements may pass into breast milk or establishing the safety and effectiveness of elderberry supplementation in nursing mothers and breastfed infants.

That doesn't establish that elderberry is harmful during breastfeeding. It means there isn't enough evidence to make a universal recommendation.

If you're breastfeeding and considering elderberry, talk with your healthcare provider or your child's pediatric healthcare provider about the particular product you're considering.

Proper Elderberry Preparation Still Matters

Regardless of pregnancy, raw or unripe elderberries and certain other parts of the elder plant can contain cyanogenic glycosides that may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

Proper preparation matters.

Elderberries intended for consumption should be appropriately prepared, and consumers should follow the directions for the particular finished product they choose.

Pregnancy adds another consideration: even a properly prepared elderberry product hasn't automatically been established as safe for use during pregnancy.

Our Approach at The POWER of Elderberries®

At The POWER of Elderberries®, transparency begins with telling you exactly what is in our products and how they're made.

Our Signature Elderberry Syrup is handcrafted in small batches using:

• Purified water

• Whole organic European black elderberries (Sambucus nigra)

• Organic ginger root

• Organic cinnamon sticks

• Organic whole cloves

• Local raw honey

We don't use elderberry concentrate, refined sugar, artificial sweeteners, dyes, flavoring, fillers, thickeners, or preservatives.

Our local raw honey is added only after the elderberry mixture has cooled. Our syrup is third-party laboratory tested, kept refrigerated, and cold shipped for freshness.

We're proud of those standards, but we don't believe product quality allows us to make a pregnancy-safety claim that research hasn't established.

If you're pregnant and interested in our Signature Elderberry Syrup, we encourage you to share the complete ingredient list with your prenatal healthcare provider so they can help you decide whether it is appropriate for your individual circumstances.

So, Can You Take Elderberry While Pregnant?

The most accurate answer is that we don't currently have enough pregnancy-specific research to establish whether elderberry supplements are safe during pregnancy.

That uncertainty isn't the same as evidence that elderberry is unsafe.

It does mean there isn't enough evidence to tell every expecting mother that elderberry syrup, gummies, vitamins, tinctures, or other supplements are appropriate during pregnancy.

If you used elderberry before pregnancy or are considering it now, bring the specific product and its complete ingredient list to your obstetrician, midwife, or prenatal healthcare provider.

At The POWER of Elderberries®, our role isn't to make that individual decision for you. Our role is to tell you what's in our products, how they're made, what the available evidence tells us, and where important questions remain unanswered.

That gives you and your healthcare provider better information for deciding what belongs in your pregnancy wellness routine.

Research & Sources

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Elderberry: Usefulness and Safety.

Holst L, Haavik S, Nordeng H. Echinacea and elderberry: should they be used against upper respiratory tract infections during pregnancy? Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2014.

Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®). Elderberry. National Library of Medicine. Updated April 15, 2025.

FDA Disclaimer

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.