Accidentally used deep heat at 7 weeks pregnant… anxiety through the roof!!!

[STKF96]

Need some reassurance :(

I am currently 7 weeks pregnant (after MMC in 2021) with terrible back ache… my mum rubbed some deep heat into my lower back. I googled a couple of minutes later and freaked out as it says NOT to use…

I showered straight away, and thankfully it isn’t the deep heat with ibuprofen - but with methyl salicylate. It says this is not safe in pregnancy.

I am kicking myself and feel full of worry and guilt that something will happen as a result. Any advice? :(

Most medicines say this as pharmaceutical companies don’t want to do clinical trials on pregnant women and pregnant women don’t want to do trials. It’s to cover their backs.

As it’s on the skin very little can actually be absorbed through the skin. And a quick google theres no horrible toxicology reports etc. Chemcial structure wise it’s closely related to aspirin (which lots of women take in pregnancy).
Just says in studies there has shown to be no evidence of fetal risk.

Don't worry. As poster above said, meds applied to the skin enter the bloodstream in only tiny amounts. Also, low dose aspirin (related to the salicylate in deep heat) is used all the time in pregnancy as it reduces the risk of pre-eclampsia. The reason why it says not to use is that salicylates at higher doses should be avoided in later pregnancy, it's very precautionary.

I had no idea it wasn’t allowed! I used it at least twice in my first pregnancy. DD is a healthy almost three year old. I seem to keep learning various things you are not supposed to use or eat in pregnancy.

Anyway, I don’t think you have anything to worry about.