Some pregnant women use castor oil to speed up labor, but experts say it's not for everyone

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Castor oil has been a hot topic on social media recently, as people extol its various uses. Many pregnant women on TikTok are claiming they've ingested castor oil to help induce delivery , with mixed results. Some experts, however, caution that this may not be safe.

EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON THE BENEFITS, RISKS OF USING CASTOR OIL FOR WEIGHT LOSS In response to the viral trend, North Carolina labor and delivery nurse Liesel Teen posted a video on TikTok in August 2023, emphasizing that all pregnant women should consult their doctors before turning to castor oil. Teen confirmed that, in some cases, castor oil can work "really well at throwing you into labor under specific circumstances." A labor and delivery nurse shared a warning on TikTok that the use of castor oil to induce pregnancy is not for everyone.

(iStock) These circumstances include women who are past their due date, have a Bishop score of more than six and have had a baby before. (The Bishop is a tool that health care providers use to determine whether induction of labor will be required.) The expert warned that not only does castor oil "taste disgusting," but it also works as a "very powerful laxative.

" DOES SUNSCREEN CAUSE CANCER? DOCTORS DEBUNK CLAIMS GONE WILD ON SOCIAL MEDIA "If you’re a first-time mom – and you are like 37 or 38 or 39 weeks [along] – and you haven’t really been contracting, or not dilated, and you drink castor .