Homemade and industrial repellents for pregnant women and children

Most of the industrial repellents approved by ANVISA can be used by pregnant women and children over 2 years old, however, it is important to pay attention to the concentrations of the components, always choosing the lowest.

Some natural repellents can also be used, but it is important to know that not all are suitable, since some essential oils contained in these products are contraindicated in pregnancy, and most of them are not as effective because their time of action is Very short.

The use of repellents is important for pregnant women and children to protect themselves against mosquito bites, especially Aedes Aegypti, which can transmit diseases such as dengue, Zika, Chikungunya and yellow fever.

Safe industrial repellents for pregnant women and children

Repellents that are safe for pregnant women and children, and that can be used without any risk, are those that contain DEET, Icaridine or IR3535 in the composition, and should only be used if they are registered with ANVISA, following the doctor's guidance and the indications the product label.

1. DEET

Repellents with DEET should only be used on children over 2 years of age, preferably at a concentration of 10%, and with this concentration, the repellent has an action time of about 4 hours. Pregnant women can also use repents with this substance, in the lowest concentration possible.

Some examples of repellents with DEET are Autan, OFF and Super Repelex. Before using, pay attention to the instructions mentioned on the label and reapply as indicated.

2. Icaridine

Icaridin repellents can also be used in pregnant women and children over 2 years of age and are generally available in a 25% concentration. An advantage of these products is that they have a prolonged action time, up to about 10 hours, in the case of repellents with 25% Icaridine concentration.

An example of a repellent with this substance in the concentration is Exposis and is available in gel and spray.

3. IR3535

Repellents with IR3535 are the safest on the market for pregnant women and children and can even be used from 6 months of age. The disadvantage is that they have a short action time, around 4 hours.

An example of an IR3535 repellent is Isdin's anti-mosquito lotion or Xtream spray.

These repellents must be the last product to be applied to the skin, after sunscreens, moisturizers or makeup, for example, and must be applied in sufficient quantity and homogeneously on exposed skin and clothing, avoiding contact with eyes, nose or mouth.

Natural repellents for pregnant women and children

There are some natural repellents that can be used by pregnant women and children, such as:

• Soy oil: at a concentration of 2%, it was able to inhibit Aedes bites for up to 1.5 hours; Repellent with cloves: can be prepared using cereal alcohol, cloves and a vegetable oil such as almond oil for example, protecting the skin for 3 hours. See how you can prepare this recipe. Eucalyptus-lemon oil: At a concentration of 30%, it provides protection for up to 5 hours. It is the most recommended of natural oils, but needs to be reapplied more often than synthetic repellents. It is a good repellent option when you cannot use DEET or Icaridine.

In addition, lavender essential oil can also be used as a natural repellent in babies from 2 months of age, and can be added to a moisturizer, however, it should be avoided by pregnant women.

Why use it suddenly?

Pregnant women should pay extra attention to the Zika virus, because when infected, their babies are at risk of being born with microcephaly, a congenital deformation where the baby's head and brain are smaller than normal for their age, that influences your mental development.

In addition, pregnant women between the first and the fourth month of pregnancy are at a greater risk of their babies having this disease, as it is during this period that the baby's nervous system is in formation, so if you suspect that you have dengue, zika or chikungunya, you should look for a hospital as soon as possible.