Many people with head lice would like to get rid of the condition as soon as possible, but pregnant women may hesitant in seeking treatment if they are unsure which treatments may harm their unborn baby. Some lice treatments may be unsafe for pregnant women, including Ulesfia lotion and lindane shampoo. However, many other treatment options are available that can get rid of the lice without posing risk to the fetus.
Manual Removal
Pregnant women who would like to refrain from using any chemicals or medications to treat their head lice may opt to manually remove the lice. This process is lengthier and more tedious than other methods, but may present the least amount of risk to the fetus. Manual removal requires the pregnant woman to thoroughly wet her hair and use a fine-toothed comb and bright light shining on the hair to remove the lice and nits. This process needs to be repeated every three or four days for at least two weeks for maximum effectiveness, according to MayoClinic.com.
Over-the-Counter Medications
Pregnant women who would like a more convenient treatment method may consider over-the-counter medications. These medications usually only kill the lice and not the nits, so a second application is generally required nine to 10 days after the initial treatment. Over-the-counter lice medications typically contain permethrin or pyrethrin as the active ingredient, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. No documented cases suggest that permethrin or pyrethrin are harmful during pregnancy, according to SafeFetus.com, but pregnant women should still check with their obstetrician or midwife before using these products.
Malathion
Malathion is a prescription medication that completely kills live lice and partially kills nits. A second treatment of malathion is only necessary if live lice are present seven to nine days after the initial treatment. This medication is considered an FDA Pregnancy Risk Category B medication, according to SafeFetus.org, which means that studies performed on animals seem to indicate little to no risk to a fetus, but the safety of the medication has not been confirmed in human studies. Pregnant women should always check with a doctor before using medications containing malathion.
