Health
Some pregnant women use castor oil to speed up labor, but experts say it's not for everyone
Castor oil has been a hot topic on social media recently, as people extol its various uses.
Many pregnant women on TikTok are claiming they’ve ingested castor oil to help induce delivery, with mixed results.
Some experts, however, caution that this may not be safe.
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In response to the viral trend, North Carolina labor and delivery nurse Liesel Teen posted a video on TikTok in August 2023, emphasizing that all pregnant women should consult their doctors before turning to castor oil.
Teen confirmed that, in some cases, castor oil can work “really well at throwing you into labor under specific circumstances.”
A labor and delivery nurse shared a warning on TikTok that the use of castor oil to induce pregnancy is not for everyone. (iStock)
These circumstances include women who are past their due date, have a Bishop score of more than six and have had a baby before. (The Bishop is a tool that health care providers use to determine whether induction of labor will be required.)
The expert warned that not only does castor oil “taste disgusting,” but it also works as a “very powerful laxative.”
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“If you’re a first-time mom – and you are like 37 or 38 or 39 weeks [along] – and you haven’t really been contracting, or not dilated, and you drink castor oil to try and induce labor, all it’s going to do is give you lots of diarrhea,” Teen said.
“But if you are already about to go into labor, or your body’s like, ‘Come on, I just need a little push,’ and you’ve talked to your care provider, and they’re OK with you doing castor oil, then it might be for you,” she said.
One doctor cautioned that there’s “limited scientific evidence” to support the effectiveness of castor oil for inducing pregnancy. (iStock)
‘Limited scientific evidence’
Dr. Meleen Chuang, an NYU Langone OB-GYN, advised that while castor oil has been suggested as a natural method to induce labor, there is “limited scientific evidence to support its effectiveness.”
She told Fox News Digital, “This is used by midwives often and should be OK to try once.”
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“Castor oil works by creating the need for a bowel movement, [so it] may help if you are constipated.”
Chuang recommended speaking with an OB-GYN before trying any methods for inducing pregnancy, as the medical experts can provide guidance based on a woman’s specific situation and medical history.
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There are alternative holistic ways to ease labor, including acupuncture, breathing and relaxation, she noted.
Taking a warm bath or shower can also help ease discomfort, as can massage and aromatherapy, according to Chuang.
Castor oil is a vegetable oil derived from the Ricinus communis plant, which is common in the Eastern areas of the world, according to the NIH. (iStock)
“Gentle massage and the use of essential oils can help relieve tension and promote relaxation during labor,” she added.
Natural health expert Dr. Joseph Mercola echoed that these relaxation techniques can be helpful for holistic pain relief.
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“These natural methods can promote a more relaxed and peaceful labor experience,” the Florida-based doctor told Fox News Digital.
“While these alternative approaches may offer benefits, it is recommended [that women] consult with [their] health care provider before trying any new treatments, especially during pregnancy.”
Experts recommend using relaxation techniques and certain foods for helping with labor. (iStock)
Eating certain foods, such as pineapple, dates, prunes or other high-fiber choices, can also help with labor, Chuang added.
Castor oil can be used in alternative ways to boost health, Mercola said.
Those include moisturizing the skin and hair, soothing digestive issues, easing menstrual discomfort and supporting the immune system.
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Surviving cancer as a child or young adult may have a lasting impact on aging, new research suggests.
Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center looked at whether life-saving treatments, like chemotherapy and radiation, could speed up biological aging.
They also aimed to determine whether this age acceleration was linked to cognitive issues related to memory, focus and learning.
The team analyzed blood samples from a group of 1,400 long-term survivors treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, using epigenetic clocks — tools that estimate biological age by examining chemical tags on DNA.
Biological age is determined based on damage the cells accumulate over time, versus chronological age, which is measured by how long someone has been alive, according to scientists.
Biological age is determined based on the damage cells accumulate over time, according to scientists. (iStock)
“These well-established aging-related biomarkers have previously been associated with neurocognitive impairment and decline in older non-cancer populations, particularly in cognitive domains related to aging and dementia, such as memory, attention and executive function,” the study stated.
Most of the group consisted of acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors, or Hodgkin lymphoma survivors. Participants were at least five years past their treatment, though some had survived for several decades.
They underwent neurocognitive testing to measure their attention span, memory and information processing speed.
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Chemotherapy was found to have the greatest impact on aging acceleration. The study suggests the treatment can alter DNA structure and cause cellular damage.
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“It’s no surprise to find out that young people with cancer who have chemo early in life are affected in terms of long-term aging,” Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News, told Fox News Digital.
Participants underwent neurocognitive testing to measure their attention span, memory and speed of information processing. (iStock)
Researchers also found that cellular aging was closely linked to cognitive performance, as survivors of a higher biological age had more difficulty with memory and attention.
“Chemo poisons and damages cellular function — hopefully the cancer cells more than normal cells, but there is a significant impact on normal cells as well,” said Siegel, who was not involved in the study.
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“There is also something called ‘chemo brain,’ which causes at least temporary difficulty with memory, concentration, word finding and brain fog,” the doctor added.
The research team hopes to use these findings to focus on intervention efforts, specifically by determining when accelerated aging begins.
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“Young cancer survivors have many more decades of life to live,” lead study author AnnaLynn Williams, PhD, said in a press release. “If these accelerated aging changes are occurring early on and setting them on a different trajectory, the goal is to intervene to not only increase their lifespan, but improve their quality of life.”
The team hopes this research will help in the development of early intervention tools that aim to prevent cognitive decline. (iStock)
There were some limitations to the study. The researchers could not adjust for chronic health conditions or education because they are directly impacted by treatment.
Additionally, the study only looked at the survivors at a single point of time, so it could not directly prove causation.
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The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
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