Parsley is a wonderful herb for bringing on a late period. It is one of my personal favorites. The fresh herb is easily obtained at any grocery store in the produce section or is easily grown.

Parsley is a mild emmenagogue (an herb which stimulates menstruation), it works like a charm for starting menstruation when pregnancy is not the cause for delay. I have used parsley on several occasions to successfully start menstruation when not pregnant. I prepared and drank a strong tea made from the fresh plant, bleeding would start in as little as a few of hours or once took three days to get started, usually after drinking the parsley tea my period would start by the next day.

For additional information on starting a late period that is not late due to pregnancy please see Delayed Menstruation.

For terminating pregnancy, I think of parsley as a helper herb. when used by itself it, its my opinion will not cause abortion, for a woman with a healthy pregnancy. There is a couple ways that Parsley can be used, either as a tea (or infusion) or as a pessary (an object or substance placed inside the vagina ).

As a tea, it has a mild flavor, I think of it as "green" with a spicy flavor. The tea can be made either from the dried herb (1 tsp per cup of water) or a tea can be made from the fresh herb. I prefer to work with organic parsley (especially if i plan on using it as a pessary). When using the fresh herb, 1 tablespoon of chopped herb per cup of water, its ok to make it stronger if you want.

When working with the fresh herb, i usually brew up a few cups at once, I'm not to exact on the amounts, usually, i fill a small to medium size pot with water, bring the water to a boil. While I'm waiting for the water to boil, I chop up a bunch of parsley leaves put that in a canning jar, then pour the boiled water over the herb, put the cap on and let it steep for about 20 minutes. The resulting tea, is green in color, and doesn't taste bad, you can sweeten it if you like or add milk if you like. I drink a cup while the tea is still warm (i strain the herb out first), then drink some later on, taking 2 to 4 cups in a day.

Photo by Herbal Nexus

Parsley combines well with vitamin c (ascorbic acid).

A parsley pessary (vaginal insert) can aide in softening the cervix, helping it to open, to prepare for release. Fresh parsley comes in a bunch, many sprigs tied together, you can remove the larger part of the stem just below the first leaf joint, this will make it more comfortable. Don't pick the leaves off the main stem, it just makes it that much smaller and harder to remove. Just leave the leaf as it is, and take off the bigger part of the stem.

When I made my pessaries, I used 3 or 4 sprigs of the fresh herb, I've read that you can wrap it in cheese cloth, or tie a string to the stems to help you get them out, but i didn't find that necessary. I just pushed the parsley leaves in as far as i could, right next to my cervix, (which feels rounded and kind of hard, the consistency is kind of like the end of your nose. (just a little cervix info)

It felt bulky at first, but the leaves will soften from your body heat. You may notice a parsley smell, or taste in your mouth after a while. I changed it every 12 hours, twice a day, especially leaving it in over night.

When it came time to remove it, i just reached in with two fingers and scooped it out, checking it for any blood, then discarding. Repeating the process.

Contradictions: should not be used by individuals with inflammatory kidney problems or diseases.

To order your herbs online:

Online herb shops

Additional Reading:
Umbelliferae or Apiaceae Plant Family from which parsley is a member of.

Fertility Awareness Section		Preventing and Ending Pregnancy