Is it safe to use insect repellent while trying to conceive, during pregnancy, or while breastfeeding?
Insect repellants protect, among other things, against mosquito bites which can transmit the West Nile virus and tick bites which can transmit Lyme disease. Since there is evidence that West Nile virus could be passed through breast milk and from a mother to her unborn child, it is important for pregnant and breastfeeding women to take steps to reduce their risk of West Nile virus and other mosquito and tick transmittedinfection. The best repellents use a chemical called DEET (Diethyltoluamide (dye-eth-il-toe-LOO-a-mide) which is very effective against mosquitoes, biting flies (gnats, sandflies, deer flies, stable flies, black flies), ticks, harvest mites, and fleas. There is no evidence that the use of DEET by pregnant or lactating women poses a health hazard to unborn babies or children who are breast-feeding. In fact, the Centers for Diseases Control (CDC) has advised that pregnant women take precautions to reduce their risk of West Nile Virus infection and other infections by avoid
