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When Roe v. Wadethe landmark Supreme Court ruling that guaranteed access to abortion in the United States for nearly fifty years was overturned last June, says herbalist Sarah Corbett by Rowan + Sage wasn’t surprised. “The writing was on the wall for years, if not decades,” she says, citing Black and Indigenous activists and healers who raised the alarm as Roo was still the law of the land.
What did Corbett’s shock was that, in the wake of RooAfter the reversal, she and virtually every herbalist she knows received a flood of direct messages asking them to share information about herbal abortions on social media. It’s a “major ethical battleground” in the herbal medicine community, she explains. “I can’t speak for everyone, but most herbalists have an ideal of doing no harm. And talking about this on social media, places not known for their ability to maintain nuance, can legitimately cause harm.”
It didn’t help that TikToks were already about the topic garnering hundreds of thousands of views. (For the record: content about herbal abortions is against the platform’s rules Community guidance.) This happened Victoria Fillmorean Appalachian herbalist with Cedar Hill Homestead, at. “I thought the disease had died down,” she says, “but last week I received a couple of classics: ‘How Much Mugwort for Herbal Abortion?’ and ‘can I buy herbal abortions?’ DMs, often from people who don’t even follow or know my work.”
What makes social media an unsafe place to talk about herbal abortion?
For those with a uterus, plants are used for everything from supporting hormone balance to relieving PMS symptoms, preparing the body for childbirth, preventing the deployment of a fertilized embryo, and supporting your system during menopause.
Throughout history, certain herbs have also been used to terminate pregnancies. There is very little scientific research on this subject, ostensibly because it would endanger the study participants, but it is known to herbalists and historians alike.
If Corbett shared it on her Instagram feedThere are several reasons why social media is not the right space for a conversation about herbal abortion. Neither she nor Fillmore will discuss the topic on their channels for various reasons, including serious ethical and safety concerns.
Herbalists are not licensed health professionals
There is no formal licensing system for herbalists in the US, meaning they have no legal protections beyond the First Amendment.
Herbalists are also not licensed physicians. “It’s part of the limitations of being an herbalist,” Corbett explains. “I can say, ‘Historically, we’ve worked with herbs this way,’ or broadly teach.” But on highly monitored platforms such as Instagram, the stakes in sharing this knowledge are much greater than, for example, in a private workshop. It can endanger herbalists and the practice in general.
Speaking about herbal abortions on social media can be damaging in states where abortions are not legal
Corbett lives in Georgia, where abortions now take place illegal after six weeks of pregnancy with some exceptions. Fillmore is located in Tennessee, that criminalizes abortions at all stages of pregnancy without explicit exceptions.
“I don’t want to criticize anyone who talks about ending herbs or herbs for reproductive care,” says Corbett, “but for me personally, there is too much risk involved in discussing these concepts online.”
Herbalists cannot provide people with adequate care through social media
Furthermore, it is impossible (and completely irresponsible) for herbalists to make universal recommendations. “It goes against all ethics to simply hand out potentially dangerous information to people without reviewing their medical history and all the options and risks associated with their decision,” Fillmore explains. In any case, there are simply too many factors at play.
Many of the plants associated with herbal abortions can have adverse health effects if used in the wrong dosage. Even when dosed and administered correctly, they can cause an intense amount of stress on the body.
Corbett sometimes encounters people who believe that plants are inherently safer than pharmaceutical interventions. That is often not the case. When it comes to abortions and contraception, pharmaceuticals are “more reliable, effective and standardized than herbals,” she says. “That doesn’t mean people don’t use herbs for those things with success. But there is no herb that is 100 percent safe under all circumstances. It’s a very nuanced topic, and there’s no way to do it justice on social media.”
How herbalists prefer to talk about herbs for reproductive care
like you Real If you’d like to learn more about herbal medicine and reproductive health care, try connecting with established herbalists in your area, ideally IRL. There are practitioners in most major cities, Corbett says, and you can usually find them on social media. No one owes you their time or expertise, so approach professionals with humility and respect, not demands.
Fillmore also recommends researching preventative reproductive care options, such as cycle tracking. “It’s a very real concern for the people who live in my area,” she says, “and it’s critical that we find out about it before we need it, even if we think we won’t .”
It behooves all of us to remember the overarching political context: U.S. reproductive health care is under attack. With states able to dictate access to abortion, a third of Americans who can become pregnant now have to do so more than an hour’s travel to reach the nearest abortion provider.
“I don’t think the answer to the hostile legislation we face is let’s educate everyone about herbal abortions,” Corbett added. “I think the answer is more: let’s be aware of this knowledge and keep it alive, invest in community care and connections, and continue working to ensure that everyone everywhere has access to safe, comprehensive reproductive health care.”