Kudos on being careful during your upcoming/soon to be pregnancy!   I would like to remind everyone of the importance in closely examining the possible negative effect of any & everything we ingest - it should be a major priority in our life.  And just like our cars, ensuring that fuel & oil that are appropriate to the engine is the bottom line to ensuring that it works.  It matters not the engine design, if the wrong fuel/oil is used, there is NO POSSIBLE WAY to avoid symptoms.  

We just have to 'break through' the conditioning/brainwashing, folks - our life & health depend upon it.  Over 80% of everything in a supermarket contains genetically mutilated/laboratory modified poisons...yet there's very few people searching for the dangers and side-effects (during pregnancy) of ingesting Cheetos, One-A-Day "vitamins"; Pepperidge Farm, McDonalds and tap water.  Yet the same people will go totally bonkers digging into the 'warnings' if you suggest Echinacea to prevent a cold/flu during pregnancy.    I'd like to SEE a true 'double blind' on the effects of synthetic pre-natal vitamins (or One-A-Days) on a baby...the results would be horrific.

The herb Ashwagandha is indigenous to India (and has been used & studied by practitioners there for centuries), hence Ayurvedic medicine is likely our best source for the total truth.  Using 'scientific data' without factoring in the experiences of millions (or vice versa) is not the best way of arriving at the truth.  Much of the information below comes from Ayurvedic sites.

Always remember the laws & regulations of almost every country are decidedly against the use of herbs (particularly in the US).  Hence it is ALWAYS necessary for sites selling herbs or offering herbal information to list every possible reported 'caution' (whether they feel or know the 'caution' is legitimate or not).  Our goal? To find the actual REASON the caution may or may not be valid.  Our methodology?  Search through dozens/hundreds of various sites - find various clinical studies on Ashwagandha (hopefully with explanations in layman's terminology) so we can understand how it actually works in the body; find reports from legitimate practitioners that have used the herb (noting how the reports compare/contrast with the found studies - and we pay CLOSE attention to contraindications & warnings from practitioners who have utilized the herb in practice); find all the 'typical allopathic warnings' (and when possible, find out WHY these warnings were put into place...this is 'huge' because a substantial percentage of the warnings & contraindications are TOTALLY invalid or non-applicable) see *** below; then lay out all the various pieces of the puzzle and see how they fit together...and take a look at the picture they create.

***This allopathic "scientific" herb-bashing started at the beginning of the 1900's (back when the AMA was going bankrupt and was 'bought out' by investors in the Pharmaceutical Cartel).  They spent (literally)  hundreds of millions of dollars on a mass-media/propaganda blitz up through the 1930's) to wipe-out ALL forms of competition, which still continues to day) after 'conditioning' the US public/Congress that all other forms of medicine were unsafe, dangerous "quackery" (a word to which they attached new meaning, that was rarely used prior to that).  This fear is DEEPLY ensconced in all of us...and most people have NO CONCEPT of how totally controlled and manipulated the information we have available to us actually has become.  This post (and this entire thread) is very indicative of the level of unrecognized conditioning in ourselves and other CZers.

I am absolutely NOT, in ANY WAY, trying to say that just because a plant is "naturally occurring" that it can be assumed to be safe or harmless to ingest.  But I am DEFINITELY suggesting that our 'fear & trepidation' is totally out of balance with true reality....and it's integral for us all to LEARN how to research the truth regarding herbs & plants.

(Note: I am missing a few links in this post - my apologies.  This day has been a nightmare - yesterday I upgraded to the latest version of my browser and in resetting and clearing caches, I deleted a VAST amount of information that I need.  And something bizarre happened in Word with this entire post (which was totally formatted a ready to post THREE hours ago...and I'm having to paste it without formatting, and format each paragraph totally over.  If there's anything missing a link that you want to find, just copy the complete phrase into Google Advanced, and you'll like come up with source on the first 'hit')

http://www.dreddyclinic.com/ayurvedic/herbs/aa/ashwagandha.htm

>>>Ashwaganda is used in asthma and as a uterine sedative. The total alkaloids showed relaxant and antispasmodic effects against several spasmogens on intestinal, uterine, bronchial, tracheal and blood-vascular muscles.

>>>GYNAECOLOGY: Excellent tonic to the uterine muscles. Used in menstrual imbalance caused by a deficient condition with an aggravation of vata.

>>>Caution in excess pitta. Caution in pregnancy- although traditionally used in India during pregnancy its spasmolytic activity on the uterus has led western phytotherapy to restrict its use in pregnancy.  (unlike the "warning" that was previously posted - that indicates this is a BAD thing, what it is saying is simply that because it prevents spams somehow "western medicine" has chosen to restrict it's use in pregnancy.  This does NOT mean the physician that wrote this thinks it's use SHOULD be restricted!!)

Definitions of spasmolytic on the Web:
•    antispasmodic: a drug used to relieve or prevent spasms (especially of the smooth muscles)
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
•    spasmolysis - the relaxation or relief of muscle spasms
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
•    Checking spasms or cramps.
www.planetbotanic.ca/glossary.htm
•    (action) counteracts or relieves muscle spasm (as per antispasmodic).
www.ann.com.au/subindex_dictionary.htm
•    Antispasmodic; referring to agents that may eliminate or relieve spasms, typically of involuntary (ie, smooth) muscle, such as within the arteries, the intestine, the ring-shaped muscles around certain natural openings or passages (sphincters), the bladder, the muscular tubes that carry urine ...
www.dbs-stn.org/glossary4.php
•    another name for anti-spasmodic.
www.woodlandherbs.co.uk/acatalog/glossary.html
•    spasmolytics - Drugs eliminating muscular spasms of internal hollow organs, such as intestines, biliary and urinary tracts, female sexua| organs; they are ...
www.zentiva.cz/default.aspx/en/consumers/glossary/group-indication

If you clicked the first link, you found that this information seems to be solidly backed up by legitimate research.  
We just learned that Ashwagandha prevents spasms & cramping, and it's been traditionally used during pregnancy in India.  So based on simple logic, it would seem perhaps you wouldn't want to use this herb immediately before delivery, as it might weaken the spasms/contractions somewhat (???).  And it seems very illogical that an herb that prevents spasms could induce a miscarriage or spontaneous abortion.

**********

http://www.anysubject.com/ashwagandha-root-benefit-of-ashwagandha-plant-extra...

>>>It is also used as uterine tonic and to enhance female libido.
>>>Effects on pregnant woman: Ashwagandha is very effective in conditions like habitual abortion, threatened abortion. It stabilizes pregnancy and balances hormones which stabilize pregnancy. (this does not mean it causes abortion, it means it is very effective at stopping abortion/miscarriage in those that have had spontaneous abortions in the past, or those that seem to be about ready to abort).

About The Author
Dr. Krishna.R.S has been an Ayurvedic Practitioner since 19 yrs , after getting a graduation degree in ayurveda (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) in 1986 from University of Mysore, India. He completed his post graduation diploma about allopathic medicine and surgery from University of Bangalore, Karnataka, India.His articles about ayurveda and life sciences have been published in many magzines. Dr.Krishna. R.S is a star athlete and has represented state and universities when he was in high school, pre university and college. Dr.Krishna . R.S lives in Mysore , Karnataka, India. He gives consultations in Mysore and also in Bangalore the silicon valley of India. Ph:91-0821-5567088 Mob: 9448433911 Email : drkrishnars@ayurveda-increaselibido.com www.ayurveda-increaselibido.com

**********
Pharmacognosy Reviews
Vol 1, Issue 1, Jan- May, 2007
© 2007 Phcog.Net , All rights reserved.
Available online: http://www.phcogrev.com

PHCOG REV.
An official Publication of Phcog.Net
PHCOG MAG.: Plant Review
Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): A Review

From link following: (sadly the .pdf is not available, so we have to use the caches .html version - which you have to copy/paste to be able to read the tiny print on the documentation):  http://tinyurl.com/meq7ht


>>>It is in use for a very long time for all age groups and both
sexes and even during pregnancy without any side effects (2).

(the reference (2) is to a long term animal study)

******

http://www.bulkmsm.com/AyurvedicHerbalMSM/p18.htm

Indications:
>>>•Root: asthma, bronchitis, edema, leucoderma, anorexia, consumption, asthenia, anemia, exhaustion, aging, insomnia, ADD/ADHD, neurasthenia, infertility, impotence, repeated miscarriage, paralysis, memory loss, multiple sclerosis, immune-dysfunction, carcinoma, rheumatism, arthritis, lumbago (Dash 1991 59; Dash and Junius 1987, 155; Kirtikar and Basu 1993, 1775-76; Frawley and Lad 1986, 160; Nadkarni 1976, 1293-94; Varier 1996, 409)

>>>Ashvagandha may be used by men as sexua| tonic in the treatment of spermatopathia, impotence and "seminal depletion" (Nadkarni 1976, 1293). When mixed with equal parts Shatavari, it is an appropriate treatment for female infertility and frigidity and is useful in threatened miscarriage.

*************************************************

Information from typical allopathic medicine site:

From WebMD (after looking at several allopathic sites, this summarizes the typical offering):

Under Side-Effects:

>>>Ashwagandha seems to be safe when taken by mouth, short-term. The long-term safety of ashwagandha is not known. Lol, not known to whoever wrote that! But Ayurvedic doctors know/claim  that it's safe for long-term usage (and there are countless studies that prove it, not to mention hundreds of thousands of people using it safely for centuries.

Large doses of ashwagandha might cause stomach upset, diarrhea, and vomiting. Really, ya think? Large doses of ANYTHING can cause stomach upset, diarrhea and vomiting.  :::smirk:::

Do not use ashwagandha if:
•    You are pregnant or breast-feeding. Why please? it's been studied and reported to enhance breast feeding - and it seems to have plenty of evidence to be beneficial to the uterus and 'stabilizing' for pregnancy (which clearly agrees with it's other known actions in the body).
•    You have a stomach ulcer.  This one took some digging - it seems there's a huge conflict, with virtually every site ending up recommending against it's use for stomach ulcers.  BUT, it looks like this is the reason (huge sigh of exasperation/frustration): >>>In the absence of H. pylori, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug usage is the most common cause of peptic ulcer; surreptitious nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug usage is a cause of unexplained ulcer disease in up to 60% of patients.  <<< 

This is SO typical! (grrrr *@!$*#&!)  There is allopathic/pharmaceutical research that proves that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs create stomach ulcers (well duh).  And since the natural herb Ashwagandha reduces inflammation... "science" then claims Ashwagandha shouldn't be used in the presence of stomach ulcers.  But Ashwagandha is NOT a pharmaceutical or OTC anti-inflammatory drug.  It's natural/safe action for reducing inflammation are not the same as pharmaceutical/OTC "drugs".  
AND - we have this information: >>>Anti-ulcer. In 1987, S.K. Battacharya and coworkers investigated the extract's effects in relation to stress-induced gastric ulcers. They found that daily administration, for a period of four days prior to ulcer induction, significantly reduced the incidence, total number and severity of ulcers formed compared with salt-water-placebo-treated controls. Y.P. Sahni and D.N. Srivastava observed similar results in 1993 in terms of number of ulcers formed and the severity of those which occurred.<<<

•    You have an immune system disease such as multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or other conditions called "autoimmune disease." For those that believe in what allopathic medicine term "autoimmune disease", then of course, they wouldn't want to take something that enhances & strengthens the immune system as effectively as Ashwagandha (yet another reason to use it during pregnancy).

•    You are scheduled for surgery in the next two weeks. Ashwagandha might cause excessive sedation if combined with medications used during and after surgery. Lol, no one ever needs to schedule themselves for surgery, if they learn enough about (and apply) Natural Healing.

Under "Uses" and "Dosage"

Insufficient evidence for:
•    Tumors, tuberculosis, liver problems, swelling (inflammation), ulcerations, stress, inducing vomiting, altering immune function, improving aging effects, fibromyalgia, and other conditions.
No dose is provided. There is insufficient evidence to rate ashwagandha as effective for any use.  Au contraire, even I (insignificant layman that I am) can find DOZENS of clinical studies & double blinds proving the efficacy of Ashwagandha.

***************

I had to look for a VERY long time to find out what possible reason all the warnings are about Ashwagandha being an abortifacient (causes a miscarriage).  FINALLY I found this:
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/27608

Precautions
Ashwagandha is a very beneficial herb, but it must never be prescribed to pregnant women. The various chemical constituents of ashwagandha can lead to abortion of the fetus. Though it is used to correct sterility itself, its use must be discontinued as soon as the woman conceives.

AHA! FINALLY!! :::insert yet ANOTHER aggravated sigh of exasperation:::   Someone, somewhere along the line examined all of the hundreds of different "chemical constituents" in the plant and found that one or two or several...IF isolated away from the hundreds of others and IF given in large doses, could THEORETICALLY induce a miscarriage.

And that folks...IS VERY VERY VERY VERY COMMON! (and JUST as maddening!)  I wonder how many thousands of women have avoided using this wonderful herb during pregnancy (that is fully of nourishment, healing for the mother AND helps to prevent miscarriage), because of the bogus and totally UNscientific "scientific reports". :( :( :(

Thoughts:

I would not hesitate to use Ashwagandha before or during my own pregnancy - nor would I hesitate to advise it to anyone that is pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant.

But let it be known that even though *I* would not hesitate to use Ashwagandha daily (if I needed it) throughout my own pregnancy, or advise it's use for others, I certainly understand that others might not choose to use it.

If anyone can ever post evidence of a verified report of someone experiencing ANYTHING negative in a pregnancy due to the use of organic Ashwagandha Root (NOT a chemical isolate or extract of Ashwagandha!), then I will research it further, and if I find it to be valid, I will add it to this post (or delete this post entirely).  I searched for three solid hours looking for reports of actual harm and could find nothing.

Healthiest of blessings - in truth!

Unyquity

P.S.  Anytime anyone posts an "herbal warning" (especially one taken from an allopathic site), I expect them to do this kind of research and post it along with it.  Yes, there ARE herbs that have side-effects (sheesh, too much water can kill us!) - but I will NOT allow this forum to be a breeding ground for unneccessary fear, nor a tool of the Posers That Be.