You’ve been loading your plate with fresh produce, taking a prenatal vitamin, nixing the alcohol, and doing your best to stick to a pregnancy-safe workout routine. But you may have also heard that you should avoid antibacterial products, including those that may appear in soaps and body washes.
The good news? While it’s thought that some of these antibacterials could potentially affect your baby’s growth and development, the vast majority are no longer on the market today.
Here's everything moms-to-be need to know about antibacterial products during pregnancy, including a few ingredients still on store shelves you may want to avoid to be extra safe.
What are antibacterial products?
Antibacterial products contain ingredients that kill bacteria. You’ll most likely see the term “antibacterial” on the labels of soaps and body washes. These products are different from regular soaps, which physically pull germs off the skin so that water can wash them away.
In 2016, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that there was no evidence that a number of antibacterial ingredients were safe for regular use over the long term — or that they worked any better than regular soap.[1] Since then, the FDA has banned nearly two dozen ingredients, including triclosan and triclocarban, from soaps and body washes that are marketed to consumers.
So why can you still find “antibacterial” or “antiseptic” hand soaps on store shelves? Companies have responded to the FDA’s ban by replacing ingredients like triclosan with other antibacterial chemicals, including benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride and PCMX.
The FDA has asked companies selling these products to provide evidence that they’re safe for the general public to use. In the meantime, the FDA strongly recommends against using antibacterial or antiseptic products and advises sticking with regular soap and water.[2]
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Are antibacterial products considered safe during pregnancy?
Some research has found that triclosan and triclocarban — two antibacterials that were once exceedingly common in many everyday products — are endocrine disruptors. That means they can impact the body’s hormonal (or endocrine) system, including the hormones that regulate your baby’s growth, right when all the organs are just forming.[3]
Preliminary research has shown that high exposure to endocrine disruptors during pregnancy could have a potentially negative impact on the formation of a baby’s reproductive system that may not become apparent until many years after the exposure happens. (Though there’s no evidence to suggest that occasional exposure to these ingredients will harm a growing baby — so if you did happen to use one of these products while pregnant, it’s probably nothing to be concerned about.)
However, while the FDA has banned a long list of antibacterial ingredients (including triclosan and triclocarban) from soaps and hand sanitizers, these ingredients may still be present in older products labeled as “antimicrobial,” like towels, pillows and sheets.[4] Newer antibacterial soaps also still contain antimicrobial ingredients, like benzalkonium chloride. These chemicals haven’t been banned, but some experts recommend minimizing your exposure to them when you can to be extra safe.[5]
Some suggest avoiding antibacterial products whenever possible for other reasons too. For one, using antibacterial chemicals unnecessarily contributes to antimicrobial and antibiotic resistance.[6]
Plus, your body is full of good-for-you bacteria that actually support your health. Researchers have expressed concern that going overboard on products that wipe out both good and bad bacteria could have unintended long-term health consequences.
Bottom line? While soaps and body washes no longer contain triclosan and triclocarban, it’s smart to avoid other products that might contain these ingredients (more on where you might encounter them below).
And if you want to be extra safe, you may choose to avoid “antibacterial” or “antiseptic” soaps that contain other antibacterial ingredients such as benzalkonium chloride when if you’re expecting.
Which antibacterial products are not safe during pregnancy?
Antibacterial ingredients are found in a few places that might surprise you. Check the ingredient list on the following products in your house, then find out which alternatives can do the job instead.
Soap and body wash
While triclosan and triclocarban are no longer allowed in hand and body soaps, “antibacterial” or “antiseptic” soaps now include other bacteria-busting ingredients (like benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride and PCMX) that you may choose to avoid to be safe.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), warm water and soap are just as effective at cleaning your hands and eliminating unwanted bacteria and viruses — including the flu and COVID-19 — as products with these chemicals.
Aim to scrub your soapy hands for about 20 seconds and rinse well under running water each time you wash.[7]
When soap and warm water are not available, use hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol, which don’t contain chemicals like triclosan. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub until they feel dry, which should take about 20 seconds.
Socks
Triclosan has been used in antimicrobial socks because it suppresses bacterial growth on your feet, which can cause odors and infections.
Fortunately, you don’t need antimicrobial socks to keep your feet safe. Just replace wet socks with dry ones — especially after working up a sweat — to avoid bacterial and fungal growth on your feet.
Mascara, lipstick and lip gloss
Antibacterial agents like triclosan are sometimes used in makeup (usually lip balms and lipsticks, though they may also be found in mascaras) to prevent bacteria on your fingers, lips and eyelashes from contaminating the product as you reuse it.
You probably won't find antimicrobials in most natural beauty products. Keep in mind that the FDA does not test or approve cosmetic products, so the strengths of their preservatives (which can help kill bacteria) can vary quite a bit.[8]
Your best bet? Choose pregnancy-safe cosmetic products and abide by the expiration dates. When preservatives are weaker, companies tend to shorten their expiration dates. And keep as much bacteria out of makeup in the first place by storing it in closed containers, washing your hands before every use, and applying makeup with a brush instead of your bare hands.
Cutting boards
Cutting boards that claim they’re bacteria-resistant were sometimes treated with antimicrobial ingredients like triclosan.
Experts say that soap and water can keep your kitchen equipment just as clean as long as you wash it thoroughly after every use. It’s also a good idea to have separate cutting boards for meat and vegetables to avoid cross-contamination.
How to avoid antibacterials
Now that you know a few of the unexpected products that could contain antibacterials, here are some ways to minimize your exposure:
- Read labels. The best way to stay away from these ingredients in personal care and cleaning products is to review the labels on the goods you buy.
- Pay attention to buzzwords. Other ingredients beyond triclosan and triclocarban warrant extra caution. Look for the words “antimicrobial,” “antiseptic” or “antibacterial” on the label, which are marketing-speak for chemicals you might choose to avoid.
- Use warm water and soap. Choose traditional soap and water to clean yourself and your home instead of antibacterial soaps, detergents and wipes.
- Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers. If soap and water aren’t available, the CDC recommends using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Buy organic personal care products. You’re unlikely to find antimicrobials like benzalkonium chloride in certified organic products — so buying goods with the “USDA certified” organic label is a good way to avoid the ingredients.[9]
- Check online. While some products may claim to be natural, that doesn’t mean they don’t contain triclosan or other antibacterial ingredients. So if you’re unsure, you can often get a full list of ingredients of any product you’re considering on the company’s website.
It’s impossible to avoid all exposure to antibacterial ingredients — and in fact, there are plenty of times when you absolutely shouldn’t avoid them. (Before you undergo a C-section, your doctor will clean your skin with benzethonium chloride, for example. And if you were to develop a UTI during pregnancy, your practitioner will likely prescribe antibiotics.)
Still, to be extra cautious, many experts recommend doing your best to avoid over-the-counter antimicrobial products when possible, especially when you’re pregnant. Do the best you can, then focus the rest of your energy on all the other important ways you can keep your body healthy for both you and your baby-to-be.
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