Posted on February 06, 2011 by Dave W

During pregnancy, there are many precautions you’ll need to follow in terms of food, beverages and medications. Likewise, if you enjoy art or crafts projects, you will need to be careful about the art supplies you choose, since they may have a harmful effect on your developing baby. The hazards of art supplies might be either in the inherent chemical makeup of the product, or in chemical reactions that occur in the process of making the art or craft. By understanding the risks of some of these materials, you can safely pursue art without harm to your baby.

Solvents are liquids that are used to thin paints, inks, paint strippers and aerosol sprays, reports chemist and artist Monono Rossol on TrueArt.info. Inhalation of the fumes from solvents can damage the nervous system of your fetus. The solvent, ethyl alcohol is also contained in alcoholic beverages, which are associated with birth defects, growth retardation and breast milk contamination. According to a study conducted at Toronto’s Motherisk Program, children whose mothers were exposed to solvents during pregnancy were found to have lower IQs and more problems with dexterity and coordination than their peers with no exposure. The study, which was led by Dionne Laslo-Baker and published in October 2004 in “Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine,” notes that until further studies are done, mothers should reduce exposure to solvents while pregnant.

If you enjoy working with metals and minerals, you may need to find another mode of expression during pregnancy, Rossol reports. Although minerals are usually considered harmless and even beneficial in certain amounts, too much of some minerals, such as chromium and cobalt, can be toxic and even carcinogenic. Of the metals, the most harmful is lead, Rossol notes. Lead has been found to be dangerous in all aspects of fetal development, as well as childhood development. Other metals with potential harmful effects on a fetus include antimony, arsenic, cadmium and mercury.

Inhaling the dust from pastel sticks or pencils can be a serious health hazard. These pastels contain pigments combined into solid form by a resin. Some of these pigments may be toxic, such as chrome yellow, also known as lead chromate, and cadmium pigments. Chrome yellow may cause lung cancer, reports Princeton’s Environmental Health and Safety website, and cadmium pigments may be linked to liver and kidney damage. In particular, blowing excess pastel dust off a drawing can cause unsafe inhalation. Talk to your doctor about potential risks of pastel sticks to your baby.

Regardless of the type of art or craft supply you’re considering, you should be careful in reading the label. While products are required to list their known hazards, many art supplies have not yet been studied for their reproductive effects, Rossol reports. You can request material safety data sheets from the manufacturers of your art or craft supplies.

In addition to the chemicals that might knowingly be part of your art supplies, there are also those that are created or emitted through transmutation processes. For example, Rossol reports that carbon monoxide is sometimes emitted from kilns. If you’re unsure about the safety of a specific supply or activity, talk to your doctor.

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