"Is it Safe to Drink Angelica and Astragalus Water During Pregnancy?"

Pregnant women are generally advised not to drink water infused with Angelica sinensis and Astragalus membranaceus, to avoid adverse pregnancy outcomes such as miscarriage and preterm birth. Both Angelica sinensis and Astragalus membranaceus are commonly used traditional Chinese medicines. Angelica sinensis, which has a sweet and pungent taste and a mild nature, belongs to the liver, heart, and spleen meridians. It primarily functions to invigorate blood circulation, nourish blood, regulate menstruation, alleviate pain, and lubricate the intestines to relieve constipation. Clinically, it is used to treat various symptoms such as blood deficiency causing yellowish complexion, dizziness with palpitations, irregular menstruation, menstrual pain or amenorrhea, abdominal pain due to deficiency-cold, rheumatic pain, carbuncles and sores, and constipation due to dry intestines. Due to its blood-activating and stasis-resolving effects, consuming Angelica sinensis by pregnant women may stimulate the fetal membranes, increasing the risk of miscarriage.
Astragalus membranaceus, with a sweet taste and slightly warm nature, belongs to the lung and spleen meridians. It primarily functions to invigorate the spleen and supplement the middle-jiao, lift the yang and rectify sinking qi, strengthen the defensive qi and consolidate the exterior, promote urination, and nourish muscles. Clinically, it is used to treat conditions such as spleen qi deficiency, lung qi deficiency, qi and blood deficiency, spontaneous sweating due to qi deficiency, and long-standing ulcers that are difficult to heal. Since Astragalus membranaceus promotes urination, consuming it by pregnant women may lead to a reduction in amniotic fluid, thereby threatening the life safety of the fetus.
Therefore, pregnant women are generally advised not to consume Angelica sinensis and Astragalus membranaceus, and thus should not drink water infused with them.