Will insect spray or pesticides harm a pregnant woman or her unborn child?

That's going to depend on the situation. If she is using a spray that is formulated for home use, according to the directions, and has no stated warnings regarding pregnancy, she will most likely be fine. As long as she's not huffing the spray or swallowing it (in which case there are probably larger problems at hand), it is very unlikely to harm either her or her fetus. If she wants to be super-careful, however, then she should just have someone else use the spray while she leaves the room.

On the other hand, if she's planning on walking around a field during an aerial application of agricultural-grade chemicals...well, that's going to be dangerous for *anyone*, not just pregnant ladies.

As for the poster who mentioned DEET being dangerous to unborn children, this is bunk. First of all, DEET is a repellent, not a pesticide (although repellents are classified as pesticides in EPA's FIFRA, the two are actually quite different in modes of action--pesticides are meant to be toxic and kill, whereas repellents mainly interfere with an arthropod's sensory abilities). And DEET, when applied in the recommended dose, externally, will not harm anyone unless they have a specific allergy or sensitivity to it. In fact, with the risk of arthropod-transmitted diseases, she is taking a much larger chance of hurting her baby by *not* using an effective repellent.

Hope this helps!

Could,I'd be careful not to be exposed to pesticides!!

Not unless you start drinking it, or inhaling it.

yes, they could harm you and your unborn child. The best advice I have is to stay away when someone else is using them. Trust me I have 4 children from 7 to 2 months old

Deet? -- yes