If you contracted or were diagnosed with Lyme Disease after becoming pregnant, want to become pregnant while treating Lyme, or are wondering how to safely conceive now that you’re in remission, this post is for you.

Before we delve into pregnancy safe options for Lyme Disease and coinfection treatment, I’d like to address something.

What alternative and complementary practitioners call Chronic Lyme Disease and mainstream medical doctors call either late-stage Lyme Disease or Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLSD), is the same problem under two different names.

After a standard course of antibiotics, while some or much of the bacteria may be gone, some may still be present.

Especially because Lyme Disease and many of the coinfections reproduce slowly. Most of the antibiotics used to treat Lyme work by inhibiting the bacterial reproduction process. Therefore, if an antibiotic course is not long enough to affect enough reproductive cycles, the infection won’t be resolved.

Antibiotics for Lyme Disease don’t perform as well in the body as they do in-vitro, because the bacteria can hide in the organs of the body, form biofilms, and transform into their cyst form.

Or, perhaps the individual wasn’t treated until they became a late stage case, or they were never diagnosed or treated with antibiotics and the infection has gone unchecked.

Either way, the widespread inflammation, immune disruption, autoantibodies, endotoxins, and damaged organs the bacterial infection caused will still be a factor, too.

That’s why so many people still feel sick after finishing their antibiotics for Lyme.

Because of that, pregnant women need to know their options for immune modulation and organ repair, not just their antibiotic choices.

There are several popular protocols for immune recovery in Lyme and coinfections, such as Byron White, Cowden, and Buhner.

Today, we’re going to be covering pregnancy safe options from Stephen Buhner’s herbal protocols. Let’s begin.

Not Known to be Contraindicated in Pregnancy

(Note: The following herbs and supplements have not been found to be contraindicated in pregnancy, but neither have they been proven safe in pregnancy. Consume at your own risk. The usual recommendation is to avoid herbal supplements in the first trimester and proceed with caution after that. Just like in any situation, though, the benefit vs. risk must be weighed, which is different for people suffering from Lyme and coinfections than for the general healthy population. It’s a good idea to discuss with your health practitioner.)

Ashwagandha root withania somnifera (avoid high doses)

Borrelia: immune remodulation, remyelination of neurons, sleep disturbance/insomnia, low libido; Chlamydia: immune enhancing; Mycoplasma: sleep disturbance, joint involvement/rheumatoid arthritis; Bartonella: immune remodulation, sleep disturbance ; Babesia: immune remodulation, sleep disturbance; Erhlichia/Anaplasma: immune modulation, sleep disturbance

Astragalus root astragalus propinquus

Tick borne disease prevention; Borrelia: angina, palpitations, shortness of breath; Ehrlichia/Anaplasma: immune modulation

Bidens Pilosa

Chlamydia: organ and cellular protection; Mycoplasma: urinary tract infection, lung infection, red blood cell infection , antibacterial; Bartonella: severe anemia, unproductive cough; Babesia: severe anemia

Bilberry

Borrelia: eye involvement support

Boswellia serrata

Borrelia: may help alleviate severity of seizures, Lyme arthritis

Butterbur (PA-free only)

Borrelia: lowering histamines

Chlorella

Borrelia: floaters, herxheimer reactions/detoxification

Cordyceps

Borrelia: immune remodulation, memory/cognitive function, shortness of breath; Chlamydia: organ and cellular protection; Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis: immune remodulation; Mycoplasma: immune remodulation; Bartonella: immune remodulation; Ehrlichia/Anaplasma: immune remodulation

Echinacea angustifolia

Borrelia: collagen support; Mycoplasma: cervical dysplasia

Elder flower (tea)

Borrelia: anxiety/hysteria/extreme fear, fever

Eleutherococcus

Borrelia: immune remodulation, depression, fatigue; Mycoplasma: immune remodulation, severe fatigue; Bartonella: severe fatigue; Babesia: severe fatigue; Ehrlichia/Anaplasma: severe fatigue

Ginger

Borrelia: poor circulation, numbness, breaking up biofilms

Ginkgo biloba

Borrelia: memory/cognitive dysfunction, left temporal strokes, numbness; Babesia: severe intravascular coagulation; Erhlichia/Anaplasma: severe intravascular coagulation

Gotu kola

Borrelia: memory/cognitive dysfunction, limbs feel heavy

Green tea camellia sinensis

Tick Borne Relapsing Fever: endothelial protection & repair; Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis: endothelial protection & repair; Mycoplasma: joint involvement/rheumatoid arthritis, immune remodulation; Bartonella: endothelial protection & repair

Hawthorn crataegus

Borrelia: angina, arrhythmia, hypertension; Bartonella: heart protection and repair

Indian Pipe monotropa uniflora

Borrelia: general pain, Lyme arthritis; Babesia: headache, muscle pain, joint pain; Ehrlichia/Anaplasma: headache, muscle pain, joint pain

Kudzu root pueraria lobata

Borrelia: collagen support, severe brain/CNS involvement, Bell’s Palsy, brain “pressure”, memory/cognitive function, neural pain, migraine-like headache; Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis: neurological impairment; Mycoplasma: severe brain/CNS involvement, neural pain; Bartonella: severe brain/CNS involvement, neural pain; Babesia: headache; Ehrlichia/Anaplasma: antibacterial, headache

L-arginine

Bartonella: endothelial protection & repair; Babesia: endothelial protection & repair

Lemon Balm melissa officinalis

Borrelia: neural pain

Lion’s Mane hericium erinaceus

Borrelia: memory/cognitive dysfunction, restore neuronal structures, photosensitivity, multiple chemical sensitivity; Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis: neurological impairment; Mycoplasma: nerve destruction

Melatonin

Borrelia: reducing neurotoxins, subarachnoid hemorrhage, sleep disturbance/insomnia, depression, multiple chemical sensitivity; Mycoplasma: sleep disturbance; Bartonella: sleep disturbance; Babesia: sleep disturbance; Ehrlichia/Anaplasma: sleep disturbance

Milk Thistle seed silybum marianum

Relapsing Fever Borreliosis: liver protection, headache at the front of head, liver pain; Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis: liver protection; Bartonella: liver protection; Babesia: liver protection, liver inflammation; Ehrlichia/Anaplasma: liver protection

Mucuna pruriens

Borrelia: tremors, depression

NAC

Mycoplasma: immune remodulation, severe anemia; Bartonella: severe brain/CNS involvement, severe anemia, breaking up biofilms; Babesia: severe anemia; Erhlichia & Anaplasma: severe anemia

Olive leaf olea europa

Mycoplasma: antibacterial, joint involvement/rheumatoid arthritis

Peppermint mentha piperita (small amounts, eg. one cup of tea daily)

Borrelia: fever, nausea, breaking up biofilms; Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis: fever; Babesia: fever, nausea; Ehrlichia/Anaplasma: fever, nausea

Phosphatidyl serine

Borrelia: memory/cognitive function, sleep disturbance/insomnia

Quercetin

Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever: endothelial protection & repair; Bartonella: endothelial protection & repair; Ehrlichia/Anaplasma: antibacterial

Rhodiola rosea

Borrelia: adrenal and thyroid fatigue, breaking up biofilms; Mycoplasma: immune remodulation, severe fatigue; Bartonella: immune remodulation, severe fatigue; Babesia: severe fatigue; Ehrlichia/Anaplasma: severe fatigue

Schisandra chinesis

Borrelia: sleep disturbance/insomnia, eye involvement support, liver pain; Mycoplasma: immune remodulation, severe fatigue; Bartonella: severe fatigue; Babesia: severe fatigue; Ehrlichia/Anaplasma: severe fatigue

Stephania

Borrelia: eye involvement, floaters, angina, arrhythmia

Teasel dipsacus

Borrelia: Lyme arthritis; Mycoplasma: joint involvement/rheumatoid arthritis

Tryptophan

Borrelia: neuroborreliosis, unrestrained sage, behaviorial outrage in children, anxiety/hysteria/extreme fear, sleep disturbance/insomnia, depression

Turmeric curcuma longa

Borrelia: Lyme arthritis, leaky gut/hyperpermeable intestines, breaking up biofilms

Yarrow achillea millefolium

Borrelia: fever

Yellow Dock root rumex crispus

Borrelia: headache at the front of head

Zeolite

Borrelia: OCD, floaters, photosensitivity, herxheimer reactions/detoxification; Bartonella: herxheimer reactions/detoxification; Babesia: herxheimer reactions/detoxification; Ehrlichia/Anaplasma: herxheimer reactions/detoxification

You’ll notice that you have a plethora of herbs that help with symptoms, organ support and repair, detoxification, and immune/cytokine modulation, but almost no antibacterial herbs. Why is this?

Systemic antibacterial herbs often have such strong actions in the body that they are too intense for a growing baby and can cause birth defects and miscarriages.

You’re not out of luck, though. A few pharmaceutical antibiotics are pregnancy safe and can be taken along with supportive herbs.

Known to Be Contraindicated in Pregnancy

Andrographis paniculata
Artemisia spp.
Barberry berberis
Boneset eupatorium perfoliatum
Cat’s Claw uncaria tomentosa
Chinese Senga Root polygala tenuifolia
Chinese Scullcap scutellaria baicalensis
Cryptolepis sanguinolenta
Devil’s Claw harpagophytum
Dong Quai/Angelica angelica sinesis
Elephant’s Head/Lousewort pedicularis, spp.
Goldenseal hydrastis canadensis
Greater Celandine cheladonium majus
Gou Teng uncaria rhynchophylla
Houttuynia spp.
Japanese Knotweed polygonum cuspidatum
Licorice root glycerrhiza glabra
Motherwort leonurus cardiaca
Oregon Grape mahonia aquifolium
Panax Ginseng
Passion Flower passiflora
Peppermint mentha piperita (essential oil)
Phellodendron
Red Root ceanothus americanus
Red Sage salvia miltiorrhiza
Sida acuta
Uva Ursi arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Vervain verbena

If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the thought of having to find a pregnancy safe treatment, get through the pregnancy, and stay sane in the process, take heart.

Now would be the perfect time to seek out a dynamite healthcare team, whether it includes an Lyme Literate Physician, OB/GYN, midwife, doula, herbalist, Naturopathic Doctor, or someone else – whatever works best for you.

While balancing Lyme and coinfection treatment and pregnancy at the same time may be difficult, it is possible.

Disclaimer: I am not a licensed doctor and do not diagnose or treat disease. Please do not substitute the tips I have shared in this educational post for the personalized advice of your health practitioner.