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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Biocide exposure during pregnancy

4 replies

Nosirrah87 · 20/10/2025 19:38

Currently 18+5 and feeling very upset.

To give a bit of background, we moved into a new house at the end of August when I was around 12wks pregnant. The house has a silverfish infestation which we have tried to manage up to now without using chemicals (killing them as we see them, using sticky traps etc, all of which is proving ineffective).

There is small (badly built, damp) extension just off the kitchen where we keep our recycling bins. I had cleared, swept and vacuumed this area and suggested to my husband that he could spray a silverfish product here, knowing I wouldn’t need to access it on a regular basis, so low risk. Unfortunately, he does this from within the kitchen (where I’m washing the dishes) rather than within the extension area, with the door between the kitchen and extension open. He closed the door after I shouted at him about the mist causing exposure.

Another thing I did stupidly at around 14wks was spray inside all of the window frames with a spider deterrent. At the time, I assumed it was just a natural peppermint spray, until I saw the label on the back that said to use biocides safely. I panicked and went straight in the shower.

I’m now really worried about having exposed myself to biocides on more than one occasion and really upset over it. I’ve cried so much today. The worst part is not knowing what effect this will have, as you only know when the baby is here, and there’s a long way to go until that happens. It will play on my mind now.

I’m not sure what I’m looking for by posting this. Possibly some reassurance but felt like I needed an outlet for my upset. Sorry.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
LizzieLogan · 20/10/2025 19:43

I don’t have any scientific or technical advice, but I unwittingly walked through a freshly sprayed field of crops while pregnant with DS and only realised when I got to the next field and saw the tractor spraying. DS is absolutely fine. No side effects but like you I panicked for days.

lljkk · 20/10/2025 19:56

The dose you got is tiny compared to giant you (you the human not being a little insect)
"They" don't let us use insecticides that are that dangerous used in an ordinary way.
Don't sweat it.

MidlandsGal1 · 20/10/2025 22:11

Your baby will be fine. If you suffer from health anxiety, get it sorted sooner rather than later.

Christwosheds · 20/10/2025 22:16

Your baby will be fine, this is not at all a worrying amount of exposure.
However, using insecticide on Silver fish seems a bit extreme. They are totally harmless, rather beautiful little creatures, and they only live where it is damp, so it is the damp extension that is the problem. I have them in my kitchen as it is built into the side of solid rock, and the cupboards can get damp.
In my childhood house they were only ever in one place, a small downstairs loo on the corner of the house which was most likely to be damp.

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