[Medical Q&A] What items should you avoid during pregnancy preparation and pregnancy?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Shang Xuejun, Chief Physician, General Hospital of Eastern Theater Command of PLA

The health of both husband and wife is related to the health of the fetus. Correctly understanding the items containing toxic and harmful substances in the living environment and staying away from them can ensure the birth of healthy offspring.

(1) Hair dye: p-phenylenediamine in hair dye is a strong carcinogen. The softeners and fixatives used in hair dye are also very clear teratogens.

(2) Nail polish: Nail polish contains a variety of aromatic compounds that may cause fetal malformation or miscarriage.

(3) Mosquito coils: When mosquito coils are burned, they produce a large number of tiny particles, so it is not recommended for women who are planning to become pregnant or pregnant to use mosquito coils.

(4) Household pesticides: If pregnant women live in an environment contaminated by pesticides for a long time, the secretion of thyroid hormones in the fetus will be lower than normal, leading to abnormal development of the fetal brain and nervous system, and the risk of premature birth and stillbirth will also increase.

(5) Air fresheners: Some of the main ingredients in air fresheners are toxic organic matter that can enter the human body through diet, breathing, skin contact, etc.

(6) Pesticides: Pesticides can enter the human body through breathing and skin contact, and then affect the fetus. Organochlorine, organophosphorus pesticides and certain herbicides have obvious teratogenic effects on the fetus.

(7) Paint: Paint contains toxic and hazardous substances such as lead, benzene, and formaldehyde. Long-term and excessive exposure to paint can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, and deformity.