Today Paula Dwan, RNC, MS, NP, Clinical Services Manager at Reproductive Science Center of New England is guest blogging on what you should know about gardening safety and treating seasonal allergies while preparing for pregnancy.
Gardening: A variety of bacteria and parasites can be found in soil and they can be harmful to a pregnancy. If you want to participate in gardening or plan to consume vegetables fresh from the garden or a farmers’ market, follow these guidelines
- Wearing gloves while gardening should protect you from contracting these bacteria and/or parasites.
- Vigorously wash your hands with soap and water after any exposure to soil or unwashed vegetables.
- Thoroughly wash and/or peel all fruits and vegetables before eating them.
Over-the-counter medications for seasonal allergies
It’s that time of year and allergies are prevalent. It is a good idea to minimize taking any medications during pregnancy or while you are attempting pregnancy. However, the following medications are considered relatively safe when taken according to package instructions:
- Benadryl
- Claritin
- Zyrtec
Products that have a ‘D’ after the product name should be avoided (for example, Claritin-D, Zyrtec-D). These may contain ingredients that are not considered safe during pregnancy. (The ‘D’ stands for decongestant, meaning the medication contains pseudoephedrine, which influences the human central nervous system. It is commonly recommended that pseudoephedrine should be avoided during the first trimester of pregnancy).
Sources: The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
