There are a large number of products and procedures that carry the warning, "Consult physician before use if pregnant or nursing." This includes everything from vitamins, lotions, herbal products and numerous beauty products to tanning, saunas and hair treatments. Women often worry about what will and will not harm their unborn baby, including procedures and products they normally use. How dangerous are these products to pregnant women? The warnings are there – but are the dangers real?

Pregnant women often have aches and pains, and massage offers soothing relief – even if only temporarily. But what danger does massage hold for an expectant mother? According to Tony Deckard, a licensed massage and bodywork therapist from Asheville, N.C., the benefits of a massage during pregnancy far outweigh the risks.

"There is a theory that there are pressure points in the webbing of the hands and feet that can stimulate labor, especially during the later months," says Deckard. "Although this theory has not been concretely proven, it is best that these points should be avoided. The abdomen is avoided simply for the mother's comfort, as the little ones usually don't like the massage and begin kicking, making Mom uncomfortable and unable to enjoy the massage. Otherwise, the only other contraindication of massage during pregnancy would be a complication in the pregnancy itself. But when done properly, a massage can be just what a pregnant woman needs to recharge and relax her over-stressed body."

Perhaps it is the massage "tools of the trade" that pose the risk. Many massage therapists use oils and lotions during a session, but are they safe? "Massage oils used differ widely, but mainly those used are natural or herbal oils," says Deckard. "The only complication that I have encountered is when the smell of the oils, such as lavender, make a pregnant woman ill. If this occurs, the oil should then be substituted with virgin, unscented oil. But the oils themselves pose no harm to either Mom or Baby."

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