When it comes to avoiding the Zika virus, EWG’s advice to Americans – especially women who are pregnant or may become pregnant – is to cover up, pay careful attention to the travel notices posed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and use bug repellents that are most likely to drive away Aedes species mosquitoes – the primary carriers of Zika.
Scientists have generally found bug repellents to be safe for pregnant women and their unborn children. The risk of Zika infection is far more serious than side effects from repellent chemicals, provided you use products as directed.
For more information on bug repellants in the age of Zika, be sure to check out EWG’s updated guide to bug repellants.
