Having Cloves Water during Pregnancy – Is It Harmful?

Clove water is one of those home remedies that mothers, grandmothers, and well-meaning friends pass around the moment morning sickness or a toothache shows up. It smells warm, tastes familiar, and feels much softer than reaching for medicine. But “natural” doesn’t mean risk-free, especially when you’re pregnant, and clove water during pregnancy is a good example of a remedy that deserves a closer look before you make it a daily habit.

Here’s what the evidence really says, where the real concerns lie, and how to sensibly use cloves if you opt to keep them in your routine.

What Is Clove Water, and Why Do People Drink It During Pregnancy?

Clove water is a simple infusion that can be made by steeping a few whole cloves in hot water for several minutes and then straining it before drinking. It is used in many cultures for:

• A queasy stomach or mild nausea
• Alleviating bloating and gas
• Sore throat or cough relief
• Relieves toothache pain when held in mouth
• Breath freshener

Many women use it in pregnancy classes, especially as a milder alternative to over-the-counter remedies, particularly in the first trimester when options for medication seem scarce. That instinct makes sense, but cloves are not just flavour. They contain an active compound, and depending on the amount you take, it has different effects.

Is Cloves Water Harmful During Pregnancy? The Short Answer

This is generally low risk for most pregnant women. Occasionally enjoyed weak clove water made from a couple of whole cloves. Food safety regulators consider cloves safe to use in food quantities, and a weak homemade infusion is more like a seasoning than a medicine.

The real caution comes with concentrated forms: clove oil taken by mouth, strong or frequent clove tea, and clove supplements. These provide a much higher dose of the active compound and have a different risk profile, including effects on bleeding and the uterus. Strength and frequency are about all that distinguish a comforting cup from an overdone habit.

What’s Actually in Cloves? Understanding Eugenol

Eugenol is the chemical that makes cloves both beneficial and a caution. This is what gives cloves their sharp, warm smell and is behind most of their traditional uses, from numbing tooth pain to fighting off bacteria.

Some facts that are worth knowing:

• Clove essential oil is very rich in eugenol, sometimes up to 70-90%.
• A mild infusion of clove water has a tiny fraction of that concentration.
• Eugenol can interfere with blood clotting, which is more important during pregnancy than at most other times.
• High doses of eugenol have been linked to stress on the liver and more serious damage in infants.

This is the whole story here. The difference between whole cloves lightly steeped in water and pure clove oil. One is a little kitchen habit. The other is more like a drug.

Possible Benefits of Clove Water When Made Mildly

Cloves have been used a lot in traditional remedies, and some of that reputation is deserved, at least for comfort and not treatment, in everyday use.

Mild Help With Nausea

Some women find that the warming, slightly numbing quality of clove water settles a queasy stomach, as ginger or peppermint can. But the research supporting this particular use in pregnancy is limited, and ginger is still the better-studied option for morning sickness.

Digestive Comfort

Traditionally, clove has been used to help ease bloating and gas after meals. A light infusion after dinner is a low-risk way to test if it helps you personally.

Oral Comfort

Cloves are known to help ease tooth and gum discomfort. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can increase discomfort in the gums. Instead of applying clove oil directly to the gums, which is not recommended without the guidance of a dentist, a weak rinse of clove water is a gentler approach.

Why Clove Water Needs Caution During Pregnancy

Effects on Blood Clotting

Eugenol can thin the blood a little bit, which is more of a concern during pregnancy, especially near delivery, or if you are already on a blood thinner or have a bleeding disorder. This is one of the big reasons why concentrated clove products are labelled with warnings for pregnant women.”

Liver Load in Higher Doses

High levels of eugenol have been associated with liver stress. This risk is higher with concentrated forms such as clove oil or supplements than a cup of mild tea, but it’s a reason to avoid treating clove water as something you can drink freely throughout the day.

Possible Uterine Stimulation

Clove is included in some traditional remedies for preparing for labour, indicating that concentrated amounts may have a stimulating effect on the uterus. There is not strong clinical research confirming this risk from a weak home infusion, but it is enough reason to keep clove water occasional and not routine, especially in the first trimester. Grapes, when properly washed and consumed in normal food portions, are generally considered a safe and nutritious fruit during pregnancy and can provide vitamin C, vitamin K, and antioxidants.

Clove Oil Is a Different Product Entirely

It is necessary to separate clove water from clove oil. Clove oil is much more concentrated and is not recommended to ingest during pregnancy. For example, if a home remedy suggests using clove oil in place of whole cloves steeped in water, take that as a signal to check with your doctor first.

How Much Clove Water Is Considered Safe?

If your doctor has not expressed any pregnancy-specific concerns, a reasonable approach is as follows:

1. Whole cloves are best. Use two to three per cup of hot water. Do not use clove oil or extract.
2. Steep for 5 to 10 minutes, strain, and drink.
3. Don’t sit down and sip it all day long; limit yourself to one cup.
4. Skip it around your due date, because uterine sensitivity is more important then.
5. If you have any abnormal bleeding, bleeding of the gums, or stomach upset after taking it, stop and consult your doctor.

Who Should Avoid Cloves Water Completely

Some pregnant women should avoid clove water entirely or use it only under direct medical supervision:

• People on blood thinners or with a known bleeding disorder
• People who have ever had liver problems or liver disease.
• Anyone who has had a previous premature birth or high-risk pregnancy
• Anyone in the last weeks of pregnancy, the traditional association with uterine stimulation
• Anyone with a past clove allergy

Mention clove water at your next prenatal appointment if you fall into any of these categories, rather than assuming a mild tea is always safe.

Clove Water vs. Whole Cloves in Cooking

It is instructive to differentiate between two very different clove-related practices. A couple of whole cloves added to a pot of biryani, curry or spiced milk is part of the normal cooking process and shouldn’t be a concern. The cloves are what flavour the dish, and only a small amount of their compounds is extracted into the food once it has cooked and the cloves are strained out or removed.

Clove water is a sort of in-between practice, between daily cooking and a home remedy, because it’s made specifically to extract flavour and compounds from the cloves into the water you drink. That’s why the guidance is about keeping it mild and occasional, rather than avoiding cloves altogether. For pregnancy nutrition, it is also useful to include iron-rich foods such as lentils, beans, spinach and other leafy greens, lean meats, and iron-fortified cereals as part of a balanced diet. There’s no need to worry about the small amount of clove used in your dinner. The greater consideration is drinking a specific glass or cup of clove-infused water on its own and making it a daily routine.

Safer, Better-Studied Alternatives for Nausea and Digestion

If you are turning to clove water because of nausea or indigestion, there are a few options that have more research behind them:

• Ginger tea or capsules: With stronger clinical evidence for relief of morning sickness.
• Peppermint tea in moderation: A mild one for settling the stomach.
• Little frequent meals: Often reduces nausea more reliably than any one remedy.
• Vitamin B6, as your doctor recommends: a common first-line choice for ongoing nausea.

This is the type of question we’re often asked by our team when we have nutrition consultations at Mom’s Preg Ladder, where we assist mothers in identifying which traditional remedies are appropriate for their particular pregnancy and which are best left for after birth.

How to Prepare Clove Water Safely, If Your Doctor Approves

1. Add 1 cup water and bring to a gentle boil.
2. Use whole cloves, not ground cloves or clove oil. 2-3 is fine.
3. Cover, remove from heat, and steep for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Remove the cloves entirely before drinking.
5. Drink it warm, and do it only once a day, not several times.
6. But before you make it a habit, see how your body responds the first few times.

When to Talk to Your Doctor

Tell your prenatal care provider about any home remedy, such as clove water, especially if you plan to use it regularly rather than an occasional cup. If you see unusual bleeding, bruising, bleeding gums, stomach pain, or cramping after drinking it, flag it immediately. Depression during pregnancy is hard. Your doctor can offer guidance based on your health history, medications, and how far along you are (which matters more than any general guideline online).

A Final Word

Cloves water during pregnancy is not necessarily dangerous but not totally safe either. Most pregnancies tolerate a weak, occasional cup of whole clove tea quite well. Another story is regular, frequent tea, clove oil, or supplements, and that’s worth a chat with your doctor first. If you are working through what traditional remedies make sense for your pregnancy, the team at Mom’s Preg Ladder is happy to help you sort fact from habit during a one-on-one nutrition consultation.

FAQs on Cloves Water During Pregnancy

Is clove water safe to drink every day during pregnancy? 

A mild cup made from two or three whole cloves is generally considered low risk occasionally. Not well studied to drink it daily or make it very strong. Better as an occasional habit rather than a routine.

Can clove water cause a miscarriage? 

There is no strong clinical evidence that a weak infusion of clove water causes miscarriage. Moderation and checking with your doctor are important due to traditional associations with concentrated clove oil and large doses with uterine stimulation.

Is clove tea different from clove oil during pregnancy? 

Yes, and the difference is a big one. Clove tea, or clove water, is made from whole cloves steeped lightly, yielding a small amount of the active compound. Clove oil is much more concentrated and should not be taken internally during pregnancy.

Can clove water help with morning sickness? 

Some women find it slightly soothing, but there is little research behind cloves for pregnancy nausea. If your primary problem is nausea, ginger has the most evidence behind it and is worth trying first.

Who should avoid clove water completely during pregnancy? 

If you’re a woman on blood thinners, have liver disease or a bleeding disorder, are carrying a high-risk pregnancy, or are in the last weeks before delivery, steer clear of clove water unless your doctor says it’s OK.