Natural Mosquito Repellent During Pregnancy: What’s Safe and What’s Not

If you’re pregnant, the question is rarely “what’s the strongest mosquito spray?” It’s “what’s the safest option that actually works?” This guide gives you the answer calmly, with the evidence underneath it.

A note before we start: nothing here replaces advice from your GP, midwife, or obstetrician. If you have a specific concern, take this with you and use it to start a conversation.

What major health authorities actually say

The reassuring news, which doesn’t always come through clearly online: every major health authority that has reviewed the evidence has concluded that mosquito-borne illness is a bigger risk in pregnancy than the appropriate, label-directed use of a registered repellent.

The U.S. MotherToBaby fact sheet, written specifically for pregnant and breastfeeding women, states that DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD) have not been shown to increase the risk of birth defects, miscarriage, or pregnancy-related complications when used as directed. The CDC, the U.S. EPA, and Australia’s Department of Health all actively recommend repellent use in pregnancy where mosquito-borne diseases circulate.

The right question isn’t whether to use repellent in pregnancy. It’s which one and how.

DEET during pregnancy

DEET has been on the market since the late 1950s and has been studied more than any other insect repellent on earth. Reviews of pregnancy outcomes, including the often-cited 2001 study from Thailand of pregnant women using daily DEET in the second and third trimesters, have not found increased risks for the baby. The EPA, CDC, and MotherToBaby consider DEET at concentrations of 30% or below acceptable in pregnancy when used as directed.

Many pregnant women still avoid it for personal comfort reasons, skin sensitivity that hormones can amplify, scent intolerance during nausea, or its tendency to dissolve some plastics. None of those is a verdict on DEET’s safety. They’re reasons families look for an alternative they can use comfortably day to day.

Picaridin, IR3535, and PMD

Picaridin. A synthetic compound modelled on a molecule from pepper plants. Effective and well-tolerated. The EPA and most national authorities consider it acceptable in pregnancy at registered concentrations.

IR3535. A synthetic similar in structure to a naturally occurring amino acid. Very gentle, used widely in Europe, considered acceptable per directions.

Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus / PMD. A plant-derived active with the strongest published evidence in the plant-based category. The CDC endorses lemon eucalyptus-derived actives for protection against mosquito-borne disease. PMD/OLE has not been specifically studied in human pregnancy by all authorities, so if you’re considering it during pregnancy, that’s a decision worth having with your GP.

Plant-based and essential-oil repellents

Plant-based mosquito repellents, the category our Skin Shield Hydrating Spray sits in (in both its Citronella and Lemon Eucalyptus variants), work by masking the carbon dioxide and lactic acid signals mosquitoes use to find you.

Most plant-based repellents protect for 20 to 90 minutes per application, depending on the formula, the temperature, and how much you’re sweating. They smell more pleasantly to most pregnant noses than synthetics. They tend to be gentler on hormonally sensitised skin. And they need more frequent reapplication than DEET or picaridin.

Where do they fit in pregnancy? Most published guidance, including MotherToBaby, notes that plant-based actives like citronella, lemongrass, soybean oil, peppermint, and geraniol have not been formally studied in human pregnancy. The available data has not raised concerns at typical topical concentrations. The everyday use of a registered, plant-based repellent on intact skin is widely considered acceptable in low-to-moderate mosquito environments.

What plant-based repellents are not the right tool for: travel to regions with active dengue, Zika, malaria, or chikungunya transmission. In those settings, the case for picaridin or DEET is stronger because the disease risk is meaningful.

How to use any repellent safely while pregnant

1. Apply sunscreen first, then repellent.
2. Avoid combination sunscreen-and-repellent products.
3. Spray onto your hands first, then transfer to skin.
4. Apply only to exposed skin.
5. Skip your hands.
6. Reapply on the schedule the bottle gives you.
7. Wash repellent off when you come indoors.
8. Apply in well-ventilated spaces.
9. Don’t apply to broken skin, dermatitis, or rashes.

A note on breastfeeding: apply repellent to areas your baby won’t have prolonged skin-to-skin contact with. Avoid the chest, the inside of arms where you’d be cradling, and especially the nipple and areola if you’re nursing. Wash treated skin thoroughly before contact feeding.

Non-spray strategies

The parents who get bitten least are doing several things at once.

• Light-coloured, loose, long clothing.
• Avoid peak mosquito hours (dawn and dusk).
• Eliminate standing water within ten metres of where you spend time outside.
• Use fans on the porch.
• Mosquito netting on prams and porches.
• Treat clothing and gear with permethrin where possible.

A natural repellent works best when it’s the last layer in a stack of habits, not the only thing standing between you and a bite.

Our approach at The Naturally Kind Co.

We won’t tell you our spray is the only safe option in pregnancy. We will tell you that we built Skin Shield Hydrating Spray in two variants, a Citronella formulation (with organic lemongrass as a supporting botanical) and a Lemon Eucalyptus formulation, both paired with skin-conditioning support and chosen to be a comfortable everyday option for the pregnant women, families, and kids in our own circle.

Take this guide with you to your next appointment. The right product, the right strategy, and the right peace of mind look slightly different for every pregnancy. The goal here is to give you the context to decide.

Spray. Trust. Repeat. 🌿

Sources cited

• MotherToBaby, Insect Repellents fact sheet (mothertobaby.org)
• U.S. EPA, Find the Repellent that is Right for You (epa.gov)
• CDC, Mosquito-borne disease prevention guidance (cdc.gov)
• McGready et al. (2001), Safety of DEET in pregnancy, American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

General information, not medical advice. If you have a specific condition, complication, or are taking medication, please speak to your GP, midwife, or obstetrician before changing your insect repellent regime.