Even though bed bugs do not transmit infectious diseases, many moms-to-be would like to understand their impact on pregnancies. A bed bug will cause allergic reactions and skin irritation, which causes discomfort for pregnant women. Even worse, the process of exterminating bed bugs can cause health issues. However, bed bug bites are on the skin and do not have direct contact with the fetus. You should use safe bed bug control methods that do not pose any health risk to the pregnancy. What’s next? This post provides informative answers to your crucial bed bug and pregnancy question.
Table of Contents
Can bed bugs cause sickness during pregnancy?
There are speculations that bed bugs can transmit disease-causing pathogens, but no studies support them. Even though bed bugs do not pass on disease pathogens, their bites can cause serious health issues:
Allergic reactions to bed bug bites.
People tend to react differently to bed bug bites, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe reactions such as anaphylaxis.
Secondary infections
Due to bed bug bites, some pregnant mothers can develop secondary infections such as impetigo, ecthyma, and lymphangitis.
Mental health issues
Living in fear of bed bugs bite can cause anxiety, insomnia, and systemic reactions in pregnant women. Pregnant mothers always worry about bed bug bites impacting the growth of their unborn child.
These health issues affect all people equally and are less severe for pregnant mothers than ordinary people. Everyone develops reactions to bed bugs, but some people may have severe reactions to biting. Your skin may develop itchy, swollen, and pink lesions that may lead to stress. Pregnant mothers are not entirely safe; they face similar reactions to bed bug bites to ordinary people.
Can bed bugs cause miscarriage during pregnancy?
Many assume that bed bugs can harm a fetus and lead to miscarriage, considering that they feed on blood. While bed bugs are blood-suckers, they do not consume enough of it to cause a miscarriage. Nonetheless, the following common effects of a bed bug infestation can increase the risk of a miscarriage:
Constant stress and worrying
Your mind will be lost in thought if bed bugs attack. You can’t escape this; you will worry about sharing your bed with creepy bed bugs that have inhabited your house.
As a pregnant mother, you stress yourself over bed bug attacks and the safety of your fetus. However, researchers have shown that bed bugs do not affect the fetus. Still, pregnant mothers can’t help but stress themselves over it.
Lack of sleep
I bet you can’t sleep when you feel insecure. Sleep directly correlates to your mental and emotional health; you will have difficulty sleeping if something is stressing you out.
The odds are high for pregnant mothers since their bodies require enough sleep to create conducive conditions for the unborn. Lack of sleep surges your risk of developing a miscarriage.
According to a Danish study, after the 8th week of pregnancy, 32% of expectant mothers who worked for two or more consecutive night shifts were more like to have a miscarriage. Sleep is vital for your pregnancy.
Unbearable itching
You may experience different responses due to bed bug bites depending on your skin reactions. Unbearable itching can force you to scratch bites until they turn into wounds. Wounds can get infected and lead to sepsis. If the itching is too much, consider getting prescription drugs from a licensed medical practitioner.
Considering your health and safety as a pregnant mother would be best. It’s best to get checked at the slightest inconvenience.
Severe allergic reactions
Severe reactions such as anaphylaxis can trigger a miscarriage during pregnancy. Despite rare anaphylaxis in pregnancies, its occurrence triggers maternal hypotension that leads to intrapartum asphyxia. This may lead to the fetus suffering brain damage and substantial miscarriage.
Severe allergic reactions from bed bug bites, such as feeling too warm, flushed, tired, and dizzy, can lead to fainting. Other reactions, such as gastrointestinal issues like vomiting and diarrhea, may slightly inconvenience you but cannot lead to miscarriage.
How can you treat bed bugs during pregnancy?
There are several treatments that you can use on bed bug bites. Nonetheless, the body changes during pregnancy and may react adversely to some medications. Using natural remedies to treat bed bug bites during pregnancy is wise. The following natural remedies can help treat bed bug bites:
Aloe Vera
Use Aloe Vera products to treat your bed bug bites. Whether natural or manufactured Aloe Vera gels, its amino acids work magic in curing burning sensations and itching from insect bites.
Lemon juice
Lemon juice is a must-use product. It contains active anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that work as a natural astringent. You can use it to dry rashes and reduce itchiness.
Witch Hazel
Have you ever heard of Witch Hazel before? Well, it’s natural anesthesia that reduces bites pains. You can find it in insulation or capsule form.
Baking soda
You can use baking soda to reduce itching pain and to control the burning sensation. You can also mix baking soda with peppermint oil for the best results.
Use available household products to reduce the pain
- You can apply petroleum jelly to each bite to ease the itching
- You use hydrocortisone and products containing cortisone to reduce extreme itchiness.
- Meat tenderizer salt is great refuge you can count on to reduce your itchiness. You’ll need to rub the meat tenderizer salt at the biting points.
- Calamine lotion is a great product to reduce itchiness and pain and minimize swelling from bed bug bites.
- Your shaving cream can do a lot more. It is antibacterial and can reduce pain and itchiness if applied to the affected areas.
Is it safe to use pesticides against bed bugs during pregnancy?
No, it is not safe to use pesticides to exterminate bed bugs. Pesticides can harm pregnancy despite their low toxicity to humans and pets. It affects the development of the fetal neural tube and nervous system. Still, pesticides are ineffective in controlling bed bugs due to Pyrethroid resistance. You will still be facing bed bug issues at your home.
Consider choosing safer and more effective bed bug control options. Here are the best alternative bed bug treatments that one can use in place of pesticides during pregnancy:
- Ensure you clean all bedding in hot water, place them in the dryer for over 30 minutes, and set the highest heat.
- Before vacuuming, use a stiff brush to scrub the mattress to dislodge bed bugs and eggs.
- Ensure you regularly vacuum around your bedding, furniture walls, and house floor.
- Check and treat any cracks or crevices in the walls of the house
- Encase the mattresses and box springs to hinder bed bugs from creeping in.
- Use bed bug interceptors around the legs of your bed and other furniture.
- Discard any unnecessary clutter in your house.
- For affected clothing, ensure that you separate them from unaffected ones. Remove and place them in a sealable plastic bag. Heat treats them.
Are bed bugs more attracted to expectant mothers?
Bed bugs are not attracted to expectant moms. They are attracted to warmth, carbon (iv) oxide, and blood. For bed bugs, carbon (IV) oxide indicates nearby food sources. Bed bugs prefer a warm hiding place closer to where people stay.
The notion that bed bugs are attracted to pregnant women is not accurate. They are attracted to heat and carbon dioxide, so you’ll often find them in places where people sleep. They do not discriminate based on a person’s health or pregnancy status. People often mistake Prigrugo, a skin disease mainly affecting expectant mothers, for bed bug bites because they have similar symptoms.
Final thoughts
Every expectant mother’s goal is to go through their pregnancy without issues. It would help if you took caution to guide pregnancy from factors contributing to miscarriage. Bed bug bites can cause allergic reactions, and skin irritation discomforts pregnant women. Use simple and effective do-it-yourself approaches to get rid of the bugs more safely. If you get bitten, it’s not the end since you can treat your wounds with available natural remedies.
FAQs
Can bed bugs harm an unborn baby?
No. Bed bug bites are on the mothers’ skin and do not affect the unborn child.
Can bed bugs cause anemia during pregnancy?
Yes. Though rare, bed bugs can cause anemia during pregnancy.
How can you prevent bed bug bites during pregnancy?
Reduce the clutter in your house, vacuum your home regularly, and place clothing in a dryer for more than 30 minutes.