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Pregnancy Wellness

Question

I'm getting the nursery ready and I'm sanding and stripping the paint off the woodwork. Can this harm my unborn baby?

Answer

In many homes, particularly older homes, lead-based paint is quite common. Before you start sanding and stripping paint, find out whether the paint in your home is lead based. The dangers of exposure to lead are serious.

Lead is harmful to the developing brain and nervous system of your unborn baby. At high levels it can cause mental retardation, kidney damage, damage to the central nervous system, and damage to the tissues that form blood. It also may reduce your baby’s birth weight and even cause premature birth.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), lead dust forms when lead-based paint is dry-scraped, dry-sanded, or heated. Lead dust settles and re-enters the air when people vacuum, sweep, or walk through it.

There are three different approaches to evaluating your home for the presence of lead paint: a lead-based paint inspection, a risk assessment, and a lead hazard screen. To find out more about which approach might be best for you, call or click on the links below:

Call for the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD or send them an email.

MEET OUR EXPERTS

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Meet Our Experts

The START HEALTHY, STAY HEALTHY™ Resource Center panel of experts offers practical advice, answering many questions typically asked by parents and expecting parents.

Lillian M. Beard, M.D. Pediatric Health

Lillian M. Beard, M.D., is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and an associate clinical professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She is a frequent guest expert and spokesperson on national TV programs, discussing issues related to children's health. Dr. Beard practices pediatrics in the Washington, D.C., area.

José M. Saavedra, M.D., FAAP Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition

José M. Saavedra, M.D., a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, is a pediatric gastroenterologist with long-term experience and expertise in nutrition. Medical and Scientific Director of Nestlé Nutrition North America, Dr. Saavedra is board-certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, the Sub-board of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, and the American Board of Nutrition. He is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins-Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Roy M. Pitkin, M.D. Prenatal Health

Roy M. Pitkin, M.D. is professor of obstetrics and gynecology and is former chairperson of the ob/gyn department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), School of Medicine. He is a frequent advisor to national health agencies concerned with women's health issues and has received numerous international honors for this work.

Robert N. Hamburger, M.D. Food Intolerances

Robert N. Hamburger, M.D. is professor of pediatrics emeritus and former head of the pediatric immunology and allergy division at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) in La Jolla, California. Professor Hamburger is a consultant and continues as an educator and clinician in the UCSD Free Clinics in San Diego and Tijuana, Baja California.

I drank alcohol before I knew I was pregnant. Is my baby in danger? I'm only 8 weeks along and I've already gained 10 pounds. What's happening? I know I should quit smoking cigarettes for my own health. But does my smoking affect the baby?