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Pregnant Inhaled Purell. Will It Harm Baby?

Posted on Tue, 17 Jul 2012

Question: Hi!
Is inhaling Purell (by mistake a couple of times) going to hurt my baby?
10 weeks pregnant

Answered by Dr. Puneet Oberoi (1 hour later)

Hello XXXXXXX
Well to begin with the active ingredient in Purell is ethanol. Ethanol does have adverse effect of the foetus when its CONSUMED. Inhalation a few times will not cause any damage to your baby as the exposed quantity is low, however I strongly recommend you that you should stop this practice of inhaling Purell.
Take care of yourself

I will be available to answer your follow up queries as well.
Take care
Regards
D.Puneet Oberoi

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Puneet Oberoi (37 minutes later)

I did not inhale it as a hobby.
I put it on at work because I always snack and I am always touching files & papers.
I felt that today I put on too much and I breathed into it. BY MISTAKE. And this is probably not the first time, but the first I was aware.
So my question is, is it still OK?

Answered by Dr. Puneet Oberoi (9 minutes later)

Hello XXXXXXX ,
Yes I did mention in my replay that everything is all OK, as the exposed quantity is very less to cause any damage to your baby.
So don't worry there is ABSOLUTELY nothing to be concerned.
Take care
Regards
D.Puneet Oberoi

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar