6 Home Projects to Avoid During Pregnancy

by Steve Graham

You want a safe, healthy child, but want to continue home improvement projects during pregnancy. Some projects may be dangerous for pregnant women, particularly exposure to some chemicals in the first trimester. Later in the pregnancy, chemical risks decrease slightly, but the threat of falls from ladders increases.

Here are the right and wrong projects for pregnant women:

Painting Facts

Avoid constant, long-term exposure to paint, and avoid spray paint. Paint contains solvents and other organic compounds that may be linked to miscarriages, low birth weight, birth defects, developmental disabilities, and childhood cancer. However, reliable clinical evidence only connects such dangers with high exposures, such as for professional painters or paint factory workers.

No studies have measured smaller levels exposure during pregnancy and specifically linked any problems to a certain chemical. Since 1978, no paint has contained lead, the most dangerous potential ingredient. Avoid exposure to old paint that is chipped and cracked, and avoid scraping or sanding old paint. If such work must be done in your house while you are pregnant, leave the house until after the project is complete.

Newer paint is unleaded, but has volatile organic compounds that may be hazardous, particularly during pregnancy. Look for paint with low VOC levels, and only use light tints. Most tints contain VOCs, with increasing levels in darker colors.

To be really safe, avoid painting. Otherwise, minimize exposure and health risks:

Talk to your doctor about your painting project
Wear long pants, long sleeves, and gloves
Keep the house thoroughly ventilated with open windows and portable fans blowing the air outside.
Take frequent breaks outside
Avoid oil paints.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

KS G.

5:40AM PDT on Jul 15, 2011

Thanks for the article.

send a green star

Marcia M.

6:58AM PDT on May 27, 2011

Thanks..

Robin H.

7:12PM PST on Jan 17, 2011

Chaya, paints usually have warning labels about birth defects written on them. IF it did not then she could take action. Otherwise read things before use. I do with food and I certainly do with chemicals.

4:17AM PDT on Oct 27, 2010

Thank you for this article!

Past Member .

1:56AM PDT on Oct 16, 2010

thanks

Chaya G.

1:34AM PDT on Oct 10, 2010

Thanks for reading and commenting on this article, which I selected from my site, Networx.com. Tori, did the family you speak of sue the paint company?

Nellie K A.

11:37AM PDT on Oct 5, 2010

Great

Maya B.

10:44AM PDT on Oct 1, 2010

Thanks.

Reka B.

10:29AM PDT on Oct 1, 2010

Robert S.

10:21AM PDT on Oct 1, 2010