Question: I am 13 weeks pregnant. We want an insect killing spray in our home (Pest Control). Will it harm me or my baby? It’s my first pregnancy. Guide me as soon as possible. What are the effects of pest control while pregnant?
Answer: In Britain, a royal commission on environmental pollution report concluded, that the pesticides were responsible for the ill health. Exposure to these chemicals through foods consumed, damages the body’s detoxification and defense mechanisms, thereby, increasing the risk of getting cancers and other chronic illnesses.
Our body has a tough time detoxifying and eliminating these chemicals, which then end up getting stored in the fat cells in the body.
The safest thing during pregnancy is to avoid pest control whenever possible. It was observed by California Birth Defects Monitoring Program, that pregnant women exposed to household pest control chemicals have the risk of getting birth defects like cleft palate, neural tube defects, heart defects and limb defects. The risk is increased during the first three months of pregnancy.
Precautions During Pest Control While Pregnant
Tips if you still want to do the pest control
The safest thing is to avoid pest control during first trimester of pregnancy.
Even then if you want the treatment to be done at your home then following precaution should be followed to decrease the likelihood of exposure:
- You should remain out of your house for at least 24 hours when the pest control is taking place.
- Remove the food and the utensils from the area before the pesticide is used.
- Wash the area where the food is prepared after the pest control work is over.
- Open all the doors and windows after the pest control is completed.
- Wear protective rubber gloves, mask and clothing for few days after pest control.
- Wash your hands properly and frequently before cooking food.
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Both me and my son were exposed to pesticides when we were out walking our dogs last summer 09 !! The chemicals are lethal we had thyroid disorder, endocrine disruption, bowel disturbances. I have Fibromyalgia and ME/cfs MY son has Crohnes and cfs. We were very fit and well prior to spraying one of the chemicals in our system is 2,4,D Diclorophenol. Pesticides are designed to kill and they do not discriminate what.