Can Pregnant Women Drink Kava? What Is Known and What Is Not
Can Pregnant Women Drink Kava? What Is Known and What Is Not By Chester Takau · Updated November 2026 Quick answer No, pregnant women should not drink kava. Every health source I found, including the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, NSW Health and the Merck Manual, says to avoid kava while pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding. Most of that advice rests on caution, because there are almost no controlled studies. The one documented human signal is a 2024 case report in the Journal of Medical Toxicology linking a mother's kava use in pregnancy to a scaly skin condition in her newborn. If you already drank some, tell your OB or midwife and stop; nothing I found suggests a single exposure is likely to cause harm, but check with a doctor or pharmacist. Chester Takau · Publisher: KavaFan. Chester Takau grew up drinking kava in Vanuatu and writes from firsthand Pacific-Island experience. Health information is educational, not medical advice. About · Contact ...