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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Is Exposure To Smell Of Paint Followed By Dull Headache During Pregnancy Serious?

I am 31 weeks pregnant and my husband is painting our basement for a remodel project. My ob/gyn said I could stay in the house on the top floor if we use a low VOC paint and keep the ceiling fans on upstairs. We live in Iowa so leaving the windows open full-time was not an option and he told me that if I did smell fumes to open the windows for awhile to get fresh air. The first morning my husband had appplied a polyurethane coat to a fireplace mantle and he forgot to open any windows. I could not smell it in our bedroom but once I got to the kitchen area I could so I immediately opened up windows and turned on the fans. I kept the fans on all the time and the windows I would keep open for an hour and then close for an hour but I still got a minor headache. The next day he started the paint and we did the same thing with the windows open intermittently as we smelled fumes and kept the fans on. I got a minor headache again so I left the house and went to my parents house. My headache was lessened after leaving but even after 4 hours of not being at my house I still had a dull headache that Tylenol did not even help. I eventually drank some caffeine and that took it away. Now the next day I still have a very small headache so does that mean the headache is probably caused by something else rather than just the fumes? I would have thought the headache would be gone once I left the fumes if that was the cause. I am wondering if I could have a touch of flu or dehydration instead and the fumes just exacerbated that. Also with being pregnant could my senses just be so heightened that that gave me a headache since my husband could barely smell any paint and did not get a headache and he was the one painting in the area. Just curious as I am scared that if the fumes gave me a headache that it could have affected the baby somehow. I was not right in the painted area but yet ventilation was probably not adequate enough.
Thu, 12 Nov 2015
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OBGYN,  's  Response
Hello, and I hope I can help you today.

First, I want to reassure you that nothing from the paint fumes could possibly have harmed your baby. Paint fumes can give anyone a headache which is why painting in a well ventilated area is recommended. Furthermore, it is very common for pregnant women to get headaches because of the increased blood volume created by pregnancy. The reason that pregnant women "glow" is because every time your heart beats more blood flushes into your face, which can in some women cause throbbing headaches. Caffeine, because it constricts the blood vessels, can help these types of headaches.

So I believe that you were most likely just more sensitive to the paint fumes than someone who is not pregnant. I would encourage you to try a little bit more of a caffeinated beverage and lying down with your eyes closed if the headache is still severe.

But I want to reassure you again that the fumes, as they do not have any permanent effect on you, cannot hurt the baby.

If your headache gets worse, and is associated with any strange symptoms such as blurry vision, seeing spots in front of your eyes, or numbness or tingling anywhere in your body, you should probably go to your doctor's office or your labor and delivery unit for evaluation as these can be symptoms of a migraine or headache from other cause.

I hope that I was able to adequately answer your question today, and that my advice was helpful.

Best wishes, and good luck with the rest of the pregnancy, Dr. Brown
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Is Exposure To Smell Of Paint Followed By Dull Headache During Pregnancy Serious?

Hello, and I hope I can help you today. First, I want to reassure you that nothing from the paint fumes could possibly have harmed your baby. Paint fumes can give anyone a headache which is why painting in a well ventilated area is recommended. Furthermore, it is very common for pregnant women to get headaches because of the increased blood volume created by pregnancy. The reason that pregnant women glow is because every time your heart beats more blood flushes into your face, which can in some women cause throbbing headaches. Caffeine, because it constricts the blood vessels, can help these types of headaches. So I believe that you were most likely just more sensitive to the paint fumes than someone who is not pregnant. I would encourage you to try a little bit more of a caffeinated beverage and lying down with your eyes closed if the headache is still severe. But I want to reassure you again that the fumes, as they do not have any permanent effect on you, cannot hurt the baby. If your headache gets worse, and is associated with any strange symptoms such as blurry vision, seeing spots in front of your eyes, or numbness or tingling anywhere in your body, you should probably go to your doctor s office or your labor and delivery unit for evaluation as these can be symptoms of a migraine or headache from other cause. I hope that I was able to adequately answer your question today, and that my advice was helpful. Best wishes, and good luck with the rest of the pregnancy, Dr. Brown