When you’re 38 to 40 weeks pregnant, either approaching or past your due date, your main focus is on the baby coming. At this point, you’re likely fed up with all the discomforts: aches, pains, swollen feet, a large belly, a sore back, and nausea.
You’ve been dealing with these symptoms for months and are eager to find natural ways to start labor and finally meet your baby. It’s completely normal to feel this way—many women go through similar emotions. You might be wondering if castor oil can help induce labor.
What Is Castor Oil?
Castor oil is a strong stimulant laxative. It is used to treat constipation. Castor oil has a strong, unpleasant taste however many find the taste bitter and slightly nutty. It can be hard to swallow, and its taste can stay in your mouth for a while. Hence, one must not forget to either hold their breath or pinch their nose while drinking castor oil. As per traditional wisdom and folklore, castor oil does bring in contractions, but it also has a host of side effects. Women who ingest castor oil to induce labor could experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If neglected, diarrhea could escalate to dehydration.
Can Castor Oil Induce Labor?
Castor oil has been in use since as early as 4000 BC when the ancient Egyptians used it to induce labor. When castor oil is consumed, its main component, ricinoleic acid is absorbed by the intestines. This acid acts as a powerful laxative, causing frequent contractions of the uterine wall. This leads to the tightening of the uterine muscles, which marks the onset of labor in a pregnant woman.(1)
However, to do this, it is necessary that your pregnancy stage is full-term and your cervix is soft and dilating. It means that castor oil could be considered a potential labor-inducing tonic provided your body is ready for labor (2). Usage of castor oil before full-term, that is, before the 38th week of pregnancy is not recommended at all. (3)
What Does It Mean To Induce Labor?
Induce Labor, also known as Labor induction, is the jumpstart of uterine contractions before natural labor occurs, with the aim of healthy vaginal delivery. As the pregnant woman reaches the end of her term, her cervix becomes thin and soft. It is ready to dilate for labor and childbirth. Doctors suggest it for a safe normal delivery or could be multiple other medical reasons
Labor is induced under the following circumstances:
- Your water has broken, but you are not feeling any contractions
- You are overdue and there is no sign of labor
- You are in high risk pregnancy category
- Low amniotic fluid
- Placental issues
- The baby is not growing as desired
- The baby is not growing as desired
- Gestational Diabetes
- Pregnancy induced Hypertension
Many natural labor inducing substances and exercises can help to induce labor after you have reached full term.
Castor oil is a name that has featured on several such lists. You may or may not have researched it further and might be curious to know if it is a labor-inducing substance and if all it is safe to use castor oil to induce labor.
[Read: 8 Effective Exercises To Induce Labor Naturally]
How Much Castor Oil Is Needed To Induce Labor?
Consume castor oil in small doses, about one or a half tablespoons three to four hours apart several times instead of one or two large doses in quick succession.
How To Consume Castor Oil To Induce Labor?
- Start with castor oil as a remedy only on the doctor’s advice.
- There are multiple ways to have castor oil. You can have it with water, milk or fruit juice.
- Take 1-2 teaspoons of castor oil and blend well using a mini blender in 100-150 ml milk or juice for 1-2 minutes. This helps with easy intake of castor oil by preventing the off taste. Once the blend is ready, consume it in one go to avoid any discomfort.
It is always advised to keep yourself hydrated to keep side effects like diarrhea at bay. Fluids like coconut water, lemon water, buttermilk, cucumber slush, or electrolyte water can help maintain daily water intake. Anyhow, in case of any discomfort like nausea or vomiting don’t stop eating. Make sure to keep having meals after short intervals as it smoothes the process of inducing labor.
Note: Please contact your healthcare provider before consuming castor oil or any other substance to induce labor. Induction of labor should always be done with the correct knowledge and guidance and always in the presence of healthcare professionals.
How Long Could It Take Castor Oil To Induce Labor?
Castor oil as a laxative starts working rather quickly. Its effects can be experienced as soon as it reaches the bowels. Hence, as a labor-inducing substance as well, castor oil is known to start taking effect in about one to three hours after consuming it. Some women may take a longer time to respond to castor oil while some, who are better prepared, ready for delivery and more dilated, respond to it quickly.
It does, however, take varying periods of time for active labor to set in, in different women. Also, how long would the labor last cannot be determined by the mere consumption of castor oil.
What Are The Risks Associated With Consuming Castor Oil?
As mentioned earlier some of the common side effects of consuming castor oil to induce labor due to its laxative property include:
-
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Dehydration
- Abdominal cramping
- Decreased urination
- Muscle cramps
While none of it is documented, there are several who claim that castor oil has a laxative effect on the baby, and that increases the chances of meconium – the first stool passed by the baby during labor. If the baby inhales meconium into their lungs, it could lead to developmental delays and pneumonia. Castor oil must be avoided by women who have a high-risk pregnancy or are ill.
Another risk associated with consuming castor oil to induce labor is that is can cause irregular contractions. These are not real labor pains and cannot get you anywhere near delivering the baby. On the contrary hours of irregular contractions can make you exhausted.
In conclusion, castor oil can be used during the final stage of pregnancy to help induce labor, but it should only be taken with a doctor’s approval. It can be mixed with water, milk, or juice to make it easier to drink. Staying hydrated is important to avoid dehydration and digestive issues. If you notice any unusual symptoms, let your doctor know right away for timely assistance.
It’s important to remember that castor oil is meant to start labor, not speed it up, as using it incorrectly can lead to a more painful delivery. There are other medical methods for inducing labor that have higher success rates than castor oil. Before trying any natural methods to induce labor, always consult your doctor or midwife. Your primary goal should be the safety and health of your baby, so professional guidance is essential.
References
- Castor oil induces laxation and uterus contraction via ricinoleic acid activating prostaglandin EP3 receptors – https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1201627109#
- Moradi M, Niazi A, Mazloumi E, Lopez V. Effect of Castor Oil on Cervical Ripening and Labor Induction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Pharmacopuncture. 2022 Jun 30 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9240406/#
