vitex during 1st tri

[rapunzel87]

Hi ladies!

I have been taking vitex for four months now due to irregular spotting. I got pregnant and am currently 6 weeks. I am still taking vitex because I am worried that my progesterone levels will drop if I stop taking it. There are a lot of mixed opinions online, and I know at the end of the day I will just have to make a sound decision based on the pros and cons. However, I just wanted to reach out to those who are on a similar boat or had been. Did you continue to take vitex throughout 1st tri? Or did you wean yourself off of it? Are there any known side effects of vitex to the baby?

 

[StranjeGirl]

It's a tough decision! For #1 I was taking 1200mg a day and stopped when I got a bfp. I started spotting a few days later and got worried and started the vitex again- but cut down to 800mg/day. At about 15 weeks I cut down to 400mg/day and then stopped at 16 weeks. I later found out that my spotting had nothing to do with vitex or progesterone (I have a sensitive cervix) for this pregnancy I was taking it and cut down to 800mg when I go a positive and then 400 at 15 weeks and stopped at 16. I know it's a hard decision because we don't know long term effects. The only thing I could find that was a possible worry with vitex was that it could cause miscarriage. Since I had no issues first pregnancy I decided to use it again. Congrats on your pregnancy!

 

[rapunzel87]

Thanks! Yes I have heard the same.. some say vitex actually prevents miscarriage whereas others are concerned it causes it. Hmm.. And, thankfully I haven't been able to find anything that would suggest that vitex causes birth defects, which is a relief!

 

[Cattia]

I'm taking it, I had a mmc in Feb and before that I had long spotting in at the end of my cycle. Since my mc the vitex seems to have stopped the spotting and this pregnancy and I just got my bfp again. In my last pregnancy I had awful insomnia which I read somewhere can be a sign of low progesterone. I don't have that this time. I am scared to stop taking it but might wean down. I also couldn't find anything on adverse affects other than the debatable risk of mc.

 

[EarthMama]

I took it until 18 weeks, gradually weaning myself off. My baby seems to be perfectly healthy.

 

[Cattia]

After reading this it has made me think so I've booked in with my acupuncturist who is a specialist in fertility and qualified in Chinese herbs, I will ask his advice and let you know what he says.

 

[NandO1]

I took it til 13 weeks, my rationale was that by that stage the placenta should have started making all the hormones bubba needed. Baby looked great at our scans.

 

[Feronia]

Vitex is safe to take during the first trimester. I had extremely low progesterone levels -- according to the medical literature, they were too low to sustain a pregnancy. I took vitex and b6 for the first 10 weeks and my levels raised completely naturally!

 

[Cattia]

Vitex is safe to take during the first trimester. I had extremely low progesterone levels -- according to the medical literature, they were too low to sustain a pregnancy. I took vitex and b6 for the first 10 weeks and my levels raised completely naturally!

Can I ask what dose you were on?

 

[Feronia]

Vitex is safe to take during the first trimester. I had extremely low progesterone levels -- according to the medical literature, they were too low to sustain a pregnancy. I took vitex and b6 for the first 10 weeks and my levels raised completely naturally!

Can I ask what dose you were on?

I was taking 80 mg twice a day.

 

[ssjad]

I got pregnant with no. 4 while on vitex (1000mg). Stopped taking it after my bfp. Miscarried.
Started taking it again straight away and got pregnant before my next period. Kept taking it through 1st tri and weaned off at about 12 to 14wks.
Started taking it again when bubby was 2 to 3 months old after breastfeeding was established. Became pregnant again and continued taking it through 1st tri.
Did the same this time. Got my bfp yesterday and should restart it (stopped taking it for a month while I took soy isoflavones).

 

[quakerquaker]

I got pregnant with no. 4 while on vitex (1000mg). Stopped taking it after my bfp. Miscarried.
Started taking it again straight away and got pregnant before my next period. Kept taking it through 1st tri and weaned off at about 12 to 14wks.
Started taking it again when bubby was 2 to 3 months old after breastfeeding was established. Became pregnant again and continued taking it through 1st tri.
Did the same this time. Got my bfp yesterday and should restart it (stopped taking it for a month while I took soy isoflavones).

Thanks for the info! I got bfp the first cycle taking vitex (400 mg). Did you take the same dosage in the 1st tri? Is 400 mg too much, I saw the other suggestion is 80 mg twice a day.