On paint fumes in pregnancy
admin February 27th, 2008
I was hard at work not writing my thesis earlier today when I happened upon a message board with women discussing the potential dangers of painting their nursery. Since I am somewhat qualified to address this subject, I think I will do it here. BUT I am no MD.
Summary: Latex probably OK. Oil based probably should be avoided. Headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue - bad.
In general, Latex paints are considered safe. As far as I know, no comprehensive studies have been done on the effects of latex paint on pregnancy, but so many women do it without complications that doctors tend not to think of these paints as a real risk.
Parents should try to paint the nursery at least one month (more if possible) before the baby’s arrival to ensure that most of the fumes (or VOCs = volatile organic compounds) have evaporated and left. Many companies are coming out with low VOC paint. I will definitely check these out when I go to paint my nursery. I hear that they are offered by Home Depot, Lowes, and Sherwin Williams, to name a few. These paints are great because they both reduce the VOCs that the mother breathes and any residual fumes left over in the room once the baby is there. Some people believe that regular paint can continue to give off VOCs for months after the initial application. What they tell us in the lab is to “minimize exposure.” This means, if someone else is willing to do it all, let them. If not, make sure that the room and the areas around it get plenty of ventilation.
Some doctors aren’t too worried about oil based paints and stains, but I am. I know what goes into these things, and what comes out. Some of these chemicals are ones that I have been warned to stay away from in the lab. Many of them are much more potentially harmful than ethanol (drinking alcohol). If alcohol is to be avoided in pregnancy, then certainly I think these chemicals should be too. If one MUST be around for staining or using oils, make sure that every possible means of ventilation is being used, and you are out of the house as much as possible. I would certainly not do this kind of work with an infant around. If you can smell it, you are breathing it. If you don’t smell it, you still may be breathing it.
Now, the take home message. The number one thing we learn in the lab is to listen to our body’s cues. Headache is one of the first signs of overexposure. If what you are doing is giving you a headache, you should stop. If you are staining and you develop a headache, take a break and get out of there. If you must go back, stay for a shorter period and try further measures to reduce exposure. The other cues include dizziness, nausea, and fatigue. These are signs that your body is sick when you are using chemicals. Do not ignore them.
The same advice goes for other potentially harmful but unknown chemicals. If dyeing your hair gives you a headache, then I would advise against doing this during pregnancy. If the pest control guy comes over and you get dizzy, go outside. So much is unknown about the affects of common household chemicals on fetal development. Take cues for your own body. Even if the baby is fine, knowing what makes you sick is a good first start.
Of course there are several other common sources of VOCs in the average house. Some of these include vinyl shower curtains, chemicals in furniture, etc. I need do more reading on these to have any kind of informed opinion. Keep in mind that VOCs are not created equal. An “organic compound” can be most anything, so just because the VOCs in say paint, might be proven innocuous, the VOCs in some other material may not be.
Happy painting!