Soaking in a warm Epsom salt bath may be a relaxing way to shed the day’s worries and cares, but many pregnant women shy away from doing so for fear they might be causing harm to their unborn baby.

Also known as magnesium sulfate, Epsom salt is a naturally occurring substance that has been approved as a laxative by the Food and Drug Administration, according to the Epsom Salt Council. Laxatives are used to reduce the symptoms of constipation, which is the inability to pass stool at a normal rate.

Unlike your everyday table salt, Epsom salt is high in magnesium and is beneficial as a health supplement that you can use topically or orally. According to Princeton University's Center for Complex Materials, it's a whitish clear crystalline whose name derives from the popular town of Epsom and Ewell in England.

Epsom salt, also known as magnesium sulfate, is a drug that is available over the counter and by prescription. For OTC use, it is taken orally and used as a soak. Prescription uses include shots and intravenous use.

Epsom salt is a commonly used home remedy. These salts, named after the town of Epsom, England, consist of the minerals magnesium and sulfate. Soaking feet or joints in warm water mixed with Epsom salt is touted to soothe joint pain, and also to treat swollen feet and ankles, sore muscles, arthritis and skin disorders.