Expecting mothers rightfully think about the health of their unborn child and prevent certain food and substances which also include pest control sprays and solutions. DIY methods can definitely be a concern due to the likelihood of ingesting pesticides that can be harmful to the expecting mother and their baby, like exposure to other chemicals. Scheduling a pest control while pregnant does not put the health of the mother or the baby at risk because the treatment is applied by a professional who is expected to handle solutions professionally and liable to conduct a risk assessment and share information about the treatment processes, and the do’s and don’t within safety guidelines.
If you realise you have been exposed to pesticides, nothing to worry about. According to a research conducted by the American Pregnancy Association (2021) ‘real risk comes from long-term or intense exposure’. It is however important to note, the level of exposure to pesticides that are safe for pregnancy and breast-feeding is still unknown as well as definite conclusion as to whether birth defects or miscarriage is caused by exposure to pesticides (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health).
Combined heat and spray treatments against bed bugs are preferable in cases of pregnancies or newly born babies. In comparison, spray only or heat only treatments usually require multiple visits until the complete removal of the bed bugs.
Heat methods
The two main heat methods in bed bug control are dry steam and hot air. Both combine perfectly well with the professional insecticide spray and allow us to achieve complete bed bug extermination with less visits, respectively less chemicals used and less money spent. The greatest benefit of the heat methods is that they eliminate adult bed bugs (tougher than the newly hatched ones) and bed bug eggs fairly quickly during the treatment itself. This cannot be achieved through the insecticide’s residue that poisons the bed bugs slowly over time.
Insecticides
Professional pest technicians are responsible (under the COSHH legislation) to eliminate or reduce the exposure to pesticides as much as possible and use alternative non-toxic methods, such as hot air and dry steam methods. It is preferred to avoid pesticides in your home all together, especially during the first trimester as no substance can be considered 100% safe. Always seek professional advice if you are not sure how to handle pest infestation.
Professional insecticides are formulated in a way that residue, which is a microscopic dust, sticks to the surfaces extremely well after application. This way the residue from insecticides is not airborne after treatment, making children and pets safe after treatment. Overtime, the professional acting ingredients start breaking down proactively and become safer due to susceptibility to sunlight (photolysis).
References:
https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/is-it-safe/pesticides-during-pregnancy/
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/repro/pesticides.html
Author:
Bed Bug Hunters & Prime Pest Control Team