Is Vicks VapoRub safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about Vicks VapoRub during pregnancy?

1. Vicks VapoRub's three active ingredients are camphor, menthol, and eucalyptus oil, and the label directs anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding to ask a health professional before use. 1
2. The label restricts the product to external use only, warns against using it in the mouth, nose, or on broken skin, and says children under 2 shouldn't use it at all. Those warnings are about ingestion and infant use, not about applying it to your own chest and back. 1
3. An animal study found no birth-defect effects when camphor was given to pregnant rats and rabbits, even at doses far higher than typical human topical use. That study looked at birth-defect risk specifically, not at the danger of actually swallowing camphor. 2
4. Camphor, not menthol, is the ingredient linked to seizures, and those seizures follow accidental ingestion, not normal topical use. Applied to the skin as directed, the main risks are milder ones like contact dermatitis or an allergic reaction. 3
5. Eucalyptus oil already shows up in many everyday products, and using those products as directed isn't expected to raise the chance of pregnancy problems, even though dedicated studies on specific formulations are limited. 4

Is Vicks VapoRub safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. There's no special first-trimester restriction beyond the usual external-use-only rule, and topical camphor, menthol, and eucalyptus haven't been linked to a higher chance of miscarriage or birth defects. The strong scent is often the bigger issue early on, since smell sensitivity tends to run high in the first trimester.
• Second trimester. The guidance stays the same in the second trimester: use it on your chest, throat, or back, and wash your hands afterward so it doesn't get in your eyes or mouth. If pregnancy congestion or a cold is why you're reaching for it, ask your provider about pairing a light application with a saline rinse.
• Third trimester. The guidance stays the same into the third trimester: use it on the skin only, never inside your nose, and never on broken or irritated skin. Since the label says children under 2 shouldn't use it at all, think ahead about where you apply it once your newborn is home.