Natural remedies for women’s health
Direct answer
Ginger is the best-supported option here, rated Moderate (3) for both nausea in early pregnancy and period pain, though the trials are small and mixed. Pregnancy is the caution that matters most. St John’s wort also weakens the contraceptive pill, and cranberry is not advised with warfarin.
Cranberry is also rated Moderate (3) for preventing recurrent cystitis, but not for treating it. D-mannose is rated Limited (2) after a large null UK trial.
Fennel and saffron are rated Limited (2) for period pain and PMS, as are calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate for bone health. A 2026 meta-analysis of 69 trials of calcium supplements found little to no reduction in fractures and judged the benefit too small to matter. The phosphate rating rests on calcium supplements in general, as we found no trial of it.
Inhaled lemon oil for pregnancy nausea and inhaled neroli oil for menopausal symptoms and labour anxiety are also Limited (2), from small trials whose scent cannot be hidden. Nothing here is better than Limited for menopausal symptoms.
Compare the options
Of the 18 remedies for women’s health we have rated, 2 have Moderate or Strong evidence for this use (none Strong). See our evidence report.
Click a column heading to sort.
| Rated for | Typical form & use | Main caution | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon (fruit) | Moderate | Preventing recurrent UTIs in women | Juice or PAC-standardised capsule, daily | UK advice: avoid if taking warfarin | 4+ weeks |
| Ginger Zingiber officinale (rhizome) | Moderate | Nausea in pregnancy | Powdered root, under 1.5 g a day | Pregnancy: EU regulator prefers avoiding it; ask first | Same night |
| Bearberry (uva ursi) Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (leaf) | Limited | Symptoms of uncomplicated cystitis | Leaf extract, 200–840 mg arbutin daily | Max one week; not in pregnancy, kidney disease, under 18 | 2–3 days |
| Berberine Plant alkaloid (barberry, goldenseal) | Limited | Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) | Berberine, 900–1,500 mg daily, split | Many drug interactions; never in pregnancy or for babies | 4+ weeks |
| Calcium carbonate Calcium carbonate (mineral salt) | Limited | Preventing fractures (supplement) | Supplement, 1,000 mg elemental calcium | Past kidney stones: more stones in a large trial | Same night |
| Calcium phosphate Calcium phosphate (mineral salt, E341) | Limited | Calcium supplement (bone health) | Tablet; label gives elemental calcium | Adds phosphate, so ask first with kidney disease | 4+ weeks |
| D-mannose D-mannose (a simple sugar) | Limited | Preventing recurrent UTIs in women | Powder, 2 g daily | Not a treatment for an active infection | 4+ weeks |
| Fennel Foeniculum vulgare (fruit/seed) | Limited | Period pain (primary dysmenorrhoea) | Seed tea, 1.5 g three times daily | Avoid in pregnancy and under 4s (estragole) | 4+ weeks |
| Hops Humulus lupulus (female cone) | Limited | Menopausal hot flushes and discomfort | Hop extract, 100 µg 8-PN daily | Phytoestrogenic; ask a clinician if hormone-sensitive | 2 weeks |
| Inositol Myo- and D-chiro-inositol (cyclitol) | Limited | PCOS: insulin resistance and hormone levels | Myo-inositol, 1–4 g daily | Fertility use is experimental per the PCOS guideline | 4+ weeks |
| Lemon essential oil Citrus limon (peel essential oil) | Limited | Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (inhaled) | Inhaled lemon oil; no standard dose | Pregnancy: inhaled only studied; no skin or oral data | 2–3 days |
| Moringa Moringa oleifera (leaf) | Limited | Breast milk supply | Leaf capsules, 250 mg twice daily | Avoid root and bark, and avoid it in pregnancy | About a week |
| NAC (N-acetylcysteine) Acetylcysteine (amino acid derivative) | Limited | PCOS: ovulation and pregnancy | Tablet, 600 mg once or twice daily | Asthma: can trigger bronchospasm; adds to nitroglycerin | 4+ weeks |
| Neroli oil Citrus aurantium (bitter orange blossom) | Limited | Menopause symptoms | Inhaled oil, 0.1–0.5% dilution | Undiluted oil can sensitise skin; do not swallow | Same night |
| Royal jelly Honey bee secretion (Apis mellifera) | Limited | Menopausal symptoms | Dried capsules, 1,500–3,000 mg daily | Can cause asthma or anaphylaxis, esp. if allergic | 4+ weeks |
| Saffron Crocus sativus (stigma) | Limited | Premenstrual symptoms | Stigma extract, 28–30 mg daily | Not for pregnancy; toxic in multi-gram doses | 4+ weeks |
| St John's wort Hypericum perforatum (aerial parts) | Limited | Menopausal hot flushes | Dry extract, 300–600 mg 1–3 times daily | Interacts with many medicines, incl. the pill and SSRIs | 4+ weeks |
| Valerian Valeriana officinalis (root) | Limited | Menopausal hot flushes | Root extract, 300–600 mg at night | Adds to alcohol and sedatives; not for pregnancy | 2 weeks |
- Rated for
- Preventing recurrent UTIs in women
- Form
- Juice or PAC-standardised capsule, daily
- Onset
- 4+ weeks
- Rated for
- Nausea in pregnancy
- Form
- Powdered root, under 1.5 g a day
- Onset
- Same night
- Rated for
- Symptoms of uncomplicated cystitis
- Form
- Leaf extract, 200–840 mg arbutin daily
- Onset
- 2–3 days
- Rated for
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Form
- Berberine, 900–1,500 mg daily, split
- Onset
- 4+ weeks
- Rated for
- Preventing fractures (supplement)
- Form
- Supplement, 1,000 mg elemental calcium
- Onset
- Same night
- Rated for
- Calcium supplement (bone health)
- Form
- Tablet; label gives elemental calcium
- Onset
- 4+ weeks
- Rated for
- Preventing recurrent UTIs in women
- Form
- Powder, 2 g daily
- Onset
- 4+ weeks
- Rated for
- Period pain (primary dysmenorrhoea)
- Form
- Seed tea, 1.5 g three times daily
- Onset
- 4+ weeks
- Rated for
- Menopausal hot flushes and discomfort
- Form
- Hop extract, 100 µg 8-PN daily
- Onset
- 2 weeks
- Rated for
- PCOS: insulin resistance and hormone levels
- Form
- Myo-inositol, 1–4 g daily
- Onset
- 4+ weeks
- Rated for
- Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (inhaled)
- Form
- Inhaled lemon oil; no standard dose
- Onset
- 2–3 days
- Rated for
- Breast milk supply
- Form
- Leaf capsules, 250 mg twice daily
- Onset
- About a week
- Rated for
- PCOS: ovulation and pregnancy
- Form
- Tablet, 600 mg once or twice daily
- Onset
- 4+ weeks
- Rated for
- Menopause symptoms
- Form
- Inhaled oil, 0.1–0.5% dilution
- Onset
- Same night
- Rated for
- Menopausal symptoms
- Form
- Dried capsules, 1,500–3,000 mg daily
- Onset
- 4+ weeks
- Rated for
- Premenstrual symptoms
- Form
- Stigma extract, 28–30 mg daily
- Onset
- 4+ weeks
- Rated for
- Menopausal hot flushes
- Form
- Dry extract, 300–600 mg 1–3 times daily
- Onset
- 4+ weeks
- Rated for
- Menopausal hot flushes
- Form
- Root extract, 300–600 mg at night
- Onset
- 2 weeks
Quick picks
Ginger is rated Moderate (3) for period pain and for pregnancy nausea. In 12 trials it matched NSAIDs for period pain, and it eased pregnancy nausea but did not significantly cut vomiting. The EU regulator prefers pregnant women avoid it, so ask a midwife or doctor first.
Gentlest optionFennelFennel seed tea is rated Limited (2) for period pain: two meta-analyses favour it over placebo, but the trials are small and disagree on how large the effect is. It is not advised in pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Key facts about women’s health
- PCOS affects an estimated 10–13% of women of reproductive age worldwide, and up to 70% of women with it are undiagnosed. It is a leading cause of irregular periods and infertility.9
- PCOS is a long-term metabolic condition that raises the risk of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and obesity. Women with a family history of PCOS or type 2 diabetes are at higher risk of it.9
- More than half of women who menstruate have some period pain for 1 to 2 days each month. It is usually mild, but for some it is severe enough to stop normal activities for several days a month.10
- Nausea and vomiting affect up to 90% of pregnant women and are one of the most common reasons for hospital admission in pregnancy. The severe form, hyperemesis gravidarum, affects 0.3% to 3.6%.11
- In a US study of 1,449 women with frequent hot flushes or night sweats, the symptoms lasted a median of 7.4 years in total, and a median of 4.5 years after the final period.12
- Between 50% and 60% of adult women will have a urinary tract infection in their lifetime. UTIs become more common with age: in women over 65 the rate is about double that of women overall.13
- In England and Wales, a woman aged 50 has a 53.2% lifetime risk of breaking a bone, against 20.7% for a man of the same age.14
Talk to a doctor first if…
Who should avoid
- Pregnancy: the EU regulator advises against fennel, bearberry, hops, valerian and St John’s wort, and saffron is not for pregnancy.
- Pregnancy: cranberry showed no UTI benefit in pregnancy, and the sources we read have no safety data for royal jelly or D-mannose.
- Ginger in pregnancy: ginger is the one pregnancy exception worth discussing, and only after asking a midwife or doctor.
- Fever, back or side pain or blood in the urine: these need a doctor, not cranberry or D-mannose.
- Allergies or asthma: royal jelly can trigger asthma and anaphylaxis, especially if you have other allergies.
- Kidney disease or use beyond a week: bearberry is not for you.
- Kidney stones: calcium carbonate is best avoided if you have had them (a large trial found more stones with calcium plus vitamin D).
- Kidney disease or large regular doses: calcium carbonate is best avoided (hypercalcaemia, milk-alkali syndrome).
- Kidney disease and calcium phosphate: ask your kidney team first, because it adds phosphate.
- Lemon and neroli oil: these were studied only as inhaled scent, so do not swallow them.
- Cold-pressed lemon oil: keep it off skin before sun.
- Fragrance or essential oil allergy: avoid neroli.
- Lemon or neroli oil in pregnancy: we found no safety data for lemon oil on skin or swallowed, or for neroli beyond the inhaled trials.
Known interactions
- St John’s wort and hormonal contraceptives: it lowers their level, which may cause breakthrough bleeding and reduced contraceptive protection, so additional contraception is advised.
- St John’s wort and other medicines: it is also rated Avoid for use with warfarin-type blood thinners, SSRIs, immunosuppressants, HIV and cancer medicines.
- Cranberry and warfarin: also rated Avoid. The MHRA and NHS advise avoiding it, though two small controlled trials found no effect on warfarin levels.
- Calcium carbonate and thyroid tablets (levothyroxine) or tetracycline or quinolone antibiotics: it can lower their absorption, so ask a pharmacist how to space doses (both rated 2).
- Valerian: adds to alcohol and sedatives.
- Royal jelly and warfarin: one case report links royal jelly to a raised INR on warfarin.
- Lemon oil, neroli and calcium phosphate: these entries list no interactions.
Before you reach for an ingredient
For period pain, morning sickness and bladder symptoms, the NHS self-care steps are worth trying first or alongside any herb, and each page says when to see someone instead.
- For period pain, the NHS suggests a warm bath, a heat pad or hot water bottle on your tummy, gentle exercise such as walking or swimming, and paracetamol or ibuprofen. See a GP if periods become more painful, heavier or irregular, or the pain stops you doing your usual activities.1
- For morning sickness, the NHS suggests rest, small frequent plain meals, dry toast or a plain biscuit in the morning, and sipping fluids. It says there is some evidence ginger helps, and to check with a pharmacist before taking ginger supplements in pregnancy. Call your midwife, GP or 111 if you cannot keep food or fluids down for 24 hours.2
- For burning and frequent urination, the NHS says a pharmacist can treat a suspected UTI in women aged 16 to 64 who are not pregnant or breastfeeding. It advises an urgent GP appointment or 111 if you are pregnant, have a fever, back or lower tummy pain or blood in your pee, or symptoms do not improve within 48 hours.3
- For menopause, the NHS says symptoms usually last 7 to 9 years and can change over that time. It advises contacting a GP to discuss options, and getting any vaginal bleeding checked if you have not had a period for 12 months.4
Questions people ask
What is the best herbal remedy for period pain?
Ginger has the best rating here, Moderate (3). A 2024 meta-analysis of 12 trials found it reduced pain more than placebo and about as much as NSAIDs, although the trials varied a lot. Fennel and saffron are rated Limited (2), and heat, gentle exercise and paracetamol or ibuprofen are the NHS first steps.
Is ginger safe for morning sickness?
A 2014 meta-analysis found ginger improved nausea in early pregnancy but did not significantly reduce vomiting, and NCCIH says it may help with nausea. No harm has been detected in studies so far, but the EU regulator says it is preferable to avoid it in pregnancy, so speak to a midwife or doctor before using it.
The NHS suggests checking with a pharmacist before taking ginger supplements. Inhaled lemon oil is a limited option: in 100 pregnant women it gave lower nausea and vomiting scores than a placebo, though a 2026 review rated the trials low to moderate quality.
Does St John’s wort affect the contraceptive pill?
Yes. It lowers hormonal contraceptive levels, which may cause breakthrough bleeding and reduced contraceptive protection, and the EU regulator advises additional contraception. Do not start or stop any prescribed medicine on our say-so; ask a doctor or pharmacist before combining St John’s wort with the pill.
Do cranberry or D-mannose help with recurrent cystitis?
Cranberry probably does, a little: the 2023 Cochrane review found a 26% relative reduction in UTIs in women with recurrent infections (risk ratio 0.74), though trials were inconsistent, and it does not treat an infection you already have.
D-mannose did not beat placebo in the largest UK trial of 598 women. See a doctor for symptoms of an active infection, and avoid cranberry if you take warfarin.
Sources (14)
- Health service guidance NHS. Period pain. nhs.uk (page last reviewed 18 March 2026).
- Health service guidance NHS. Vomiting and morning sickness. nhs.uk (page last reviewed 17 April 2024).
- Health service guidance NHS. Urinary tract infections (UTIs). nhs.uk.
- Health service guidance NHS. Symptoms of menopause and perimenopause. nhs.uk (page last reviewed 19 May 2026).
- Regulator/health agency NCCIH. Ginger: Usefulness and Safety. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (last updated February 2025).
- Regulator monograph European Medicines Agency HMPC. European Union herbal monograph on Hypericum perforatum L., herba, Final - Revision 1 (EMA/HMPC/7695/2021). 2022.
- Systematic review Williams G, Stothart CI, Hahn D, Stephens JH, Craig JC, Hodson EM. Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023.
- Systematic review and meta-analysis Massé O, Mercurio CM, Dupuis S, et al. Calcium, vitamin D, or combined supplementation to prevent fractures and falls: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2026.
- Health agency fact sheet World Health Organization. Polycystic ovary syndrome (fact sheet). 2026.
- Professional body guidance American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Dysmenorrhea: Painful Periods (FAQ046). acog.org. 2020 (last reviewed January 2022).
- Clinical guideline Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. The Management of Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy and Hyperemesis Gravidarum (Green-top Guideline No. 69), second edition. 2024.
- Cohort study Avis NE, Crawford SL, Greendale G, et al. Duration of menopausal vasomotor symptoms over the menopause transition. JAMA Intern Med. 2015.
- Narrative review Medina M, Castillo-Pino E. An introduction to the epidemiology and burden of urinary tract infections. Ther Adv Urol. 2019.
- Population study van Staa TP, Dennison EM, Leufkens HG, Cooper C. Epidemiology of fractures in England and Wales. Bone. 2001.
Reviewed by Healthy and Herbal editors · 10 October 2026 · Next review April 2027
Reader notes
Experiences and questions from readers, read by an editor before they appear. They are personal accounts, not evidence, and are not medical advice.