Paint and Pregnancy. Sorensen M, et al. Non-occupational exposure to paint fumes during pregnancy and fetal growth in a general population. Environmental Research 4 : Join now to personalize. Photo credit: iStock. Make sure you have good ventilation. Keep the windows open to avoid inhaling paint fumes. Don't eat or drink in the room where you're painting to avoid accidentally ingesting any small particles of paint. Leave the area immediately if you experience symptoms like dizziness, nausea, or headache.
If you're the one painting, take these precautions as well while working: Wear a respirator mask — preferably an N95 or KN95 — to screen out particles and fumes.
Wear gloves, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt to protect your skin. Sources BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. The only studies that note the potential for miscarriage and malformations have to do with the higher levels of exposure through recreational use sniffing and inhaling regularly. If you have been exposed to paint, rest assured that the likelihood of any problems is low. Let your health care provider know of any paint exposure and together you can discuss the potential risk.
Illinois Teratogen Information Service U. Painting While Pregnant. Is it Safe to Paint While Pregnant? If you are just too excited and you must paint the nursery, make sure you follow these guidelines to decrease the likelihood of paint exposure: Protect your skin by wearing protective clothing that includes long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and gloves Be certain that the room and house are well ventilated; open the windows and turn on fans Limit the time you spend on the project; take breaks and move into the fresh air frequently Keep your food and drinks away from the area so solvents and chemicals will not accidentally be consumed Occupational or Industrial Paint Occupational and industrial paint circumstances ie… painting cars warrant concern because of the consistency and level of exposure to paints and solvents.
What about pregnancy and recreational use? What if I have been exposed to paint already? What are the recommendations and precautions? Can I get pregnant if…? Share this post:. It is not just the paint fumes that you should worry about. For one thing, you should be cautious with ladders, because your balance is definitely not what it used to be. Secondly, you want to try and avoid getting yourself in precarious positions, especially late in pregnancy, that could cause injury.
And, while the paint fumes may not be dangerous, they may be a quick trigger for a pregnancy headache, migraine or nausea. Most of all, avoid becoming fatigued or overdoing it. If you feel like you want to be a part of the nursery decorating process, then by all means dive in and let your creative juices flow.
It is advisable not to walk into a freshly painted room and keep the doors and windows open until all the odor is gone.
Risk is the highest with spray paints unless complete preventive measures, such as wearing a protective mask and suit, are taken. Spray paints work by turning paints into a fine colloidal mist that can be easily inhaled or settle on the skin. Off-the-shelf spray paints also contain a range of VOCs that are even more harmful than oil paints since they are meant to evaporate and dry faster. Repainting a house requires extensive sanding and blasting operations that increase dust in the air, likely to settle on the skin or get inhaled.
If the house is more than 30 years old, exposure to lead-based paint and other harmful chemicals from previous paints and surfaces is a risk. Expecting mothers are almost equally susceptible to risk from paints during all the trimesters. However, since the first trimester involves the most critical development processes, the fetus could be most vulnerable even to small doses of inhaled solvents. Since a pregnant woman dealing with toxic paint fumes has more risks than a normal person, it is essential to take adequate precautions before starting.
Precautions should be maintained even when entering a room with fresh paint. Inhaling or smelling the paint while pregnant is also potentially harmful to the baby. Here are some of the most important precautionary steps one can take:. The biggest risk of painting comes from the inhaled solvent vapors given off by the paint.
It is essential to wear a respirator approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to avoid breathing in the chemicals.
Respirators use special filters to scrub out the solvents, which ordinary dust masks cannot do. It is important to avoid direct contact with the chemicals in paint; hence, an expecting mother must fully cover herself up while painting. Using a disposable plastic worker suit can also protect against paint spills or splatter.
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