Does menthol have any effect on pregnant women?

Menthol is a traditional Chinese medicine and is widely used in our daily lives. It can be found in toothpaste and cooling oil. Menthol is a substance extracted from peppermint oil. It is a stimulant. When applied to the skin, it can provide cooling and relieve itching. It can also be taken internally to dispel wind. Pregnant women are carrying a new life in their bellies, and there are many things to pay attention to and taboo about. Does the menthol mentioned here have any effect on pregnant women?

1. Can pregnant women use menthol?

Pregnant woman during pregnancy. Especially in the first 3 months, it is recommended not to use these things as much as possible. After 3 months, there won't be much impact. For example, camphor, mint, and eucalyptus oil can be absorbed through the skin and can pass through the placenta into the fetus, affecting its growth and development. Camphor may cause fetal malformation, stillbirth or miscarriage. Therefore, pregnant women can take a short rest when they feel tired, and should not over-stimulate their nerves, which will affect their normal regulatory function.

In daily life, especially in summer and autumn when there are many mosquitoes, cooling oil is a must-have medicine for the family. However, pregnant women should not apply cooling oil frequently, otherwise it will affect eugenics. This is because cooling oil contains ingredients such as camphor, mint, and eucalyptus oil. Camphor can be absorbed through the skin and have some effects on the human body. For pregnant women, camphor can also cross the placental barrier and affect the normal development of the fetus. In severe cases, it can cause malformation, stillbirth or miscarriage. Especially in the first 3 months of pregnancy, the harm is greater.

Therefore, pregnant women should not apply cooling oil or medicines such as wind oil, tiger balm, and one-heart oil.

2. Precautions for using menthol

1. The whole plant contains volatile oil, the main components of which are menthol, menthone, etc., which can excite the central nervous system and constrict capillaries. Overdose can cause central nervous system paralysis, especially medullary paralysis.

2. Clinical manifestations of poisoning include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, sweating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, thirst, numbness of the limbs, decreased blood pressure, slow heart rate, coma, etc.

3. It may cause irritation when used on the skin. Since menthol is irritating to the skin and eyes and has a certain degree of toxicity, gloves and safety glasses must be worn when used in large quantities. Do not use on eyes or mucous membranes.

4. If the above adverse reactions occur, please seek medical attention immediately, perform gastric lavage, use saline laxatives, intravenous infusion, and give vitamins C, B1, and B6 at the same time; oils are prohibited. So as not to miss the treatment time.