Another random pregnancy question..

[Bol87]

In the early weeks of pregnancy, the placenta is only forming and the baby supported by the yolk sack right? So my question is, how do things reach the baby during this phase? So obviously the advice not to drink for example, how does the alcohol get to the baby before the placenta takes over?!

I’m not planning on drinking, I don’t really drink anyway.. I’m actually feeling a bit torn about getting my hair dyed tomorrow. But then I was wondering how any chemicals would even pass to baby at 5/6 weeks pregnant..

Wondered if there was any medically minded out there who knows more about biology than me!

Although it takes weeks for the placenta to properly take over, it's a gradual process, and the baby's bloodstream starts connecting to yours on something like day 18 (I read this a few months back, but afraid I've not been able to find the source again). I have no idea about the risks involved with hair dye though!

I read ages ago ( got drunk before I realised I was pregnant and then worried like hell) that exposure to teratogens is unlikely to have caused damage in the first 2 weeks as you would miscarry if it did. After that is the highest risk time as major organs etc are developing, that said, the nhs say that there are no known issues with using hair dye, you could wait til after day 60 if you’re worried or have highlights if you can’t wait.

Yah I've been told so many times it's ok to dye you hair, however! Be aware that your skin is a lot more sensitive! I'm purposely not dying my hair whilst I'm pregnant because my skins become quite sensitive and so I'm not taking amy risks. So if you want to dye your hair that's fine but I would 100% reccomend doing a patch test first!!

The concern with dying your hair is more linked to hormonal changes and it’s effects on your skin and how you might react to the chemicals in the dye rather than how the chemicals will affect the foetus. Also, a lot of hair salons don’t have insurance cover for hair colour treatments for women during the first trimester because the risks are not know and no one would get ethical approval to do studies.

I waited till May to get my hair dyed (was around 19 weeks by then) and all was well; the salon just asked to do another patch test to make sure I hadn’t become sensitised to the dye being used. I am having my hair dyed again this Wednesday and will be 30 weeks the following day.

I dyed my hair throughout both pregnancies and understood it was fine to do so. I did have a bit of an issue once though about 6 months pregnant when the bake dye was just unbelievably itchy and it felt like my scalp was on fire even though my skin wasn’t even vaguely red or inflamed. Strangest thing as it didn’t happen before or after in other stages of pregnancy.

Thanks guys! I had a chat to my lovely hairdresser & I had foil highlights in the end. So the dye didn’t touch my scalp bar the washing out stage! I’m glad I did it, my hair was looking ropy! Should last me through into the second trimester as I’ve gone a bit darker!

Thankfully no reactions.. I will make sure to have a patch test through pregnancy though!