Women are especially vulnerable during pregnancy and that is why they must take extra care of their bodies during that period of time and up until they are nursing. It is not enough that a pregnant woman stays away from alcohol or smoking, everything that has to do with her body such as eating or even proper personal care habits must be watched vigilantly as it may affect the baby.

In terms of using personal care products, a pregnant woman must place careful scrutiny over the items she chooses for the wrong personal care products might contain substances that could be harmful to her and to the baby as an after-effect. To help mothers-to-be out there who have no idea what personal care products to choose and what they should avoid and what they should look for in a product, here is a break-down of the most commonly used items by pregnant women and the substances they should and shouldn't contain.

1.) Soap - Soaps are the most commonly used product, not just by pregnant women but by everyone so the contents of the soap we use are especially important. We are exposed to it at least 5 times a week and frequent use of the wrong soap can cause harm to your skin-and to the baby for pregnant women. So what should soaps suited for pregnant women contain? Shea Butter, Palm Oil, Coconut Acid and Evening Primrose Oil or Lavender Oil, are good products to be found on a soap- ingredient list. What it shouldn't contain are Isoeugenol, Hydroxycitronellal, D&C Violet 2, Linalool, Geraniol, Limonene, Coumarin, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate and Benzone derivatives such as Oxybenzone, or Benzophenone-3, Benzyl alcohol, Paraben chemicals and Eugenol as these chemicals are known contributors to cancer, endocrine and organ system toxicity. One should also stay from soaps with added fragrances as they can contribute to skin irritation.

2.) Toothpaste - For something we put into our mouths daily, toothpaste should be especially safe. Contents like Myrrh, Water, Propolis, a Calcium Carbonate Base are good while Papain, Alumina, Propyene Glycol and Methylparaben can cause allergies, neuro and organ system toxicity as well as developmental and reproductive toxicity, which can be really harmful to the baby.

3.) Shampoo - Even shampoos can be harmful so it is good to also watch out for what you wash your hair with. Calcium Oxide, Sunflower Extract, Cinnamon scent, Rosemary Oil, Provitamin B5, Vitamin F, Wheat Proteins and Lemon are safe ingredients while shampoos containing Parabens such as BUTYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN, METHYLPARABEN and Benzenes and Acids like Lactic acid, Salicylic Acid and Benzoic Acid are harmful to your hair and general health as they can cause the same health hazards such as cellular and biochemical mutation, developmental and reproductive, organ and neuro toxicity as well as certain cancers.

Careful inspection of an over the counter item's ingredient list is very important whether one is pregnant or not. With this knowledge that you now have on personal care items, you can be sure that you'll be staying away from all the harmful substances you might be putting on your body.

Buying from a credible store also helps prevent items containing suspicious ingredients from getting into your shopping cart. Make sure you are buying from a trust-worthy store before trying out any product.