Consumer Reports recently completed a review of sunscreens on the market. After researching ingredients and testing their effectiveness, the report contains some important information for pregnant women.

The major warning that Consumer Reports is issuing to pregnant women is to avoid sunscreen that contains retinol palmitate, a topical form of vitamin A. The substance turns to retinoids when it is absorbed by the body and can increase the risk of birth defects. Finding the ingredient on the label might be tricky though, because it also goes by vitamin A palmitate and retinol hexadecanoate as well.

Retinal palmitate isn’t the only sunscreen ingredient to steer clear of. In fact, Consumer Reports says that they didn’t find a single sunscreen to be absent of harmful ingredients. Oxybenzone, implicated in interfering with hormones in the body, and nano-sized ingredients, which have been linked to reproductive problems, were both common components.

The manufacturers of the products tested purport that the health benefits from wearing sunscreen outweigh any ingredients potential harm. However, you still might want to avoid sunscreens with retinal palmitate. Keeping skin covered with light clothing is another way to avoid the dilemma altogether. Last summer we compiled a list of ways to protect your skin naturally and included a short list of companies that aim to produce safe sunscreen. Read Sun Protection for Pregnant Moms and Babies here.     

What kind of sunscreen do you wear?

New advice for pregnant women when choosing sunscreens [ConsumerReports]