Dawrat HayatWhat makes it different from other warnings
Many herbal warnings in pregnancy rest on precaution: it has not been studied, so avoid it. Licorice is a stronger case. Studies in Finland followed women who consumed varying amounts of licorice during pregnancy, and then followed their children into school age and adolescence. In the group with high consumption they observed less favourable results on some measures of memory and attention, alongside a link to preterm birth. This is not a single passing study, and its consistency is what led some health authorities to issue an explicit warning.
The proposed mechanism is also understandable: glycyrrhizin is thought to weaken an enzyme in the placenta whose job is to protect the fetus from excess exposure to the mother's cortisol. When that barrier weakens, the fetus is exposed to higher levels than it should be. Having a plausible explanation alongside the data is what raises confidence in the link.
Where licorice hides
For Ramadan alternatives: Qamar al-Din, carob, and tamarind in moderate amounts, and water with lemon and mint. And if you use licorice for heartburn or digestive problems, there are safe, well-studied medicines in pregnancy — ask your doctor rather than relying on the herb.
Myth Licorice is a traditional Ramadan drink known to be good for the stomach, and something people have used for generations cannot harm a pregnant woman.
Fact Length of use is not evidence of safety, especially in pregnancy. The effects we are discussing here — preterm birth, and developmental differences appearing years later — are precisely the kind that a family or even a community cannot detect by ordinary observation, because they do not follow directly from drinking a cup and do not affect everyone who drinks it. This is exactly what follow-up studies are designed to capture. And a second point: licorice is not forbidden to people in general, and its benefit for the stomach is not an empty claim — but pregnancy is a special state, and the placenta specifically is where the concern lies. Avoiding it for nine months is not a rejection of a beloved tradition, but a postponement of it.
When to ask your doctor
Call your doctor if you consume licorice regularly and in large amounts and have just discovered your pregnancy, especially if you have high blood pressure or a history of preterm birth. Also ask if you use a herbal preparation for stomach ulcers or cough — many contain licorice without it being obvious on the front of the pack. Seek prompt assessment if you have a severe headache, swelling, palpitations, or unusual muscle weakness, since low potassium can present that way. And a single cup on an occasion is not cause for worry — the warning concerns regularity and quantity.