What to do if you had some risky behavior and think you may have had fertilizing intercourse

What to do if you had some risky behavior and think you may have had fertilizing intercourse

Did you know that Nature has a Plan B? Here we will learn about Nature’s Plan B…

Nature’s Plan B is called Queen Anne’s Lace or Wild Carrot Seed. It works as an implantation inhibitor. This means it prevents a fertilized egg from implanting and developing into a pregnancy. 

Queen Anne’s Lace is not a contraceptive (as it does not prevent ovulation, ejaculation, fertilization, or conception ). Nor is Queen Anne’s Lace an abortive (as it does not disrupt an early pregnancy that is already well established and healthy). Rather, it disrupts normal hormonal shifts in the body that would enhance and develop healthy endometrial lining for a pregnancy to implant. It makes the uterus inhospitable to grow a pregnancy. 

The basis of our work with Queen Anne’s lace is a relationship with ourself and our womb. To use this herb is to say to your body, “I do not give permission for a pregnancy to take place.”

Although very few formal scientific studies are known, in small cohort studies it has been shown to be 90-100% effectiveness with perfect use and perfect intention, with a few big disclaimers: 

These studies were done on such small selections of populations they are not generalizable to people as a whole.

Plants, and people, come in huge varieties. Just because some small studies showed effects on some people with some Queen Anne’s Lace doesn’t mean you and the plants you’re working with will respond the same. Herbal medicine has so many variables it’s difficult (and some would say unethical) to bring it into the lab. 

No matter how much we scientifically study menstruation, ovulation, conception, fertilization, implantation, herbalism, and more in a lab, we can never wholly understand the mystery. Even those with predictable cycles and impeccable fertility awareness can note times of unusual fertile symptoms, and unpredictable conceptions. Even with perfect science, human error exists!

That’s all to say: nothing works perfectly for everyone. Work with Queen Anne’s lace with your own levels of personal awareness and risk when working with your own fertility. 

My second and biggest disclaimer is this: 

The most important aspect of working with Queen Anne’s ace is learning to identify it properly and distinguish it from its many look-alikes. Why is this so important? Because some of its look-alike (hemlock) are poisonous and not for consumption even in small amounts. Do not work with this plant unless you are absolutely sure of your identification! This is why a tincture from a reputed Herbalist is probably your best bet when choosing to work with this herb.

Protocols and Dosages

There is scientific disagreement as to whether Queen Anne’s Lace has primarily estrogenic properties, or if she works more with progesterone. There is also conflict as to whether the introduction or the withdrawal of Queen Anne’s Lace is the key to her efficacy, and what the ideal timing is. 

What seems to be true is this: she is not a daily contraceptive, she needs to be introduced, and then withdrawn, surrounding a specific potentially fertilizing event, on a specific schedule. It is very easy to want to take as much of something you think may help when you’re feeling like you may be pregnant and don’t wish to be, however, the withdrawal of use is imperative for its effectiveness.

Queen Anne’s Lace, in whatever manner who choose to work with it, should be used surrounding a potentially fertilizing event: 

Optimally, in three doses: 

1st dose: 8-12 hours surrounding potential fertilization

2nd dose: 8ish hours after the first dose

3rd dose: 8ish hours after send dose

Then stop. 

These doses should be spaced over a minimum of 24 hours and an absolute maximum of 72 hours. 

These doses should be based on potential fertilization (i.e. “unprotected” sex), NOT daily, NOT only at specific times of a cycle. 

Doses can be any of the following (but should stay consistent. For example: If 1st dose is tincture, all doses should be tincture): 

Dried Seeds: 

Choose one of the following:

  • About a teaspoon, chewed well and swallowed with juice/water on an empty stomach. This is the oldest historical method of consuming Queen Anne’s Lace for implantation inhibition.
  • About a teaspoon, ground by mortar and pestle or clean coffee grinder, and mixed into a small amount of juice or water, taken on an empty stomach
  • About a teaspoon, ground by mortar and pestle or clean coffee grinder, into a cup. Pour 8oz boiling water over, let steep for 15 minutes, consume on an empty stomach

Dried Flowers: 

  • Place 2-3 dried flower heads into a teacup. Pour 8oz boiling water over, let steep for 15 minutes, consume on an empty stomach

Fresh Seeds: 

  • Use in a tincture, as detailed below:

Fresh Flowers: 

Choose one of the following:

  • Place 3-6 fresh flower heads into a teacup. Pour 8oz boiling water over, let steep for 15 minutes, consume on an empty stomach

Tincture: 

  • 30-60 drops in a small glass with a few tablespoons of cool water taken on an empty stomach