"DEET Seen as Safe for Pregnant Women Despite Limited Studies"

"This summer, some yellow-fever mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus are expected to arrive along the Gulf Coast and elsewhere in the continental United States. Health officials are urging people to use insect repellents with DEET to avoid being bitten.

The mounting evidence that the virus is strongly linked with birth defects makes this a priority for pregnant women. But is it safe to use repellents containing DEET with a baby on the way?

Although the scientific evidence is a bit thinner than some experts would like, most say the answer is yes, as long as you do not overapply.

Few published studies address the effects of DEET, short for N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, in mothers-to-be and their offspring. None involved pregnant women in the first trimester, the period when most birth defects occur."

Catherine Saint Louis reports for the New York Times April 4, 2016.