I think it's ridiculous, assuming you're talking about relatively safe chemicals such as Procion MX dyes and soda ash, which are certainly less hazardous than the household cleansers pregnant women are expected to use on a daily basis. There is no evidence anywhere that these chemicals pose any risk whatsoever when used with proper regard for safety. Telling pregnant women not to use safe chemicals, even though they are using appropriate care, is infantilizing them for no reason. It is not going to keep their babies any safer. (I think that people like to pretend that avoiding things that are not really dangerous will help keep us safe from unavoidable things that really are dangerous, but it's not true.)
It is important to avoid the use of mutagens during pregnancy; this means that pregnant women should not use
naphthol dyes. Who in North America or Europe uses naphthol dyes, anyway, though? We're just as concerned about their possible carcinogenicity when we're not pregnant as we are about their potential mutagenic activity when we are.
Fortunately, the dyes and other chemicals we like to use most are not considered mutagenic or teratogenic. It would make more sense to ban the use of toilet cleaner or oven cleaner among pregnant women, since they are known to be poisonous, but pregnant women have been cleaning toilets and ovens with caustic chemicals for time out of mind without any problems being reported as a result.
Everyone, pregnant or not, should always avoid unnecessary exposure to chemicals such as dyes, by the simple stratagem of using reliable gloves, and measuring out dye powder in such a way that nobody breathes any of it. There is no need for concern for the safety of pregnant women when working with already dissolved fiber reactive dyes, as long as they do not do anything foolish that might result in their consuming any of it, such as eating or smoking with unwashed dye spills on their hands.
Pregnant women, like everyone else, should be careful to avoid exposure to fumes from hypochlorite (chlorine) bleach. Excessive exposure can cause skin burns, lung damage, etc. When exposed to fumes from chlorine bleach, pregnant or not, wear a good, properly fitting organic vapors/acid gas respirator, not a dust mask. Dust masks are great for keeping dye powder out of the lungs, but they will not do anything to keep gasses out. Also, as a general rule, be careful of any solvent other than water.
Soda ash is no more dangerous than ordinary laundry detergent, which commonly contains large quantities of it. Procion MX dyes are not suspected of being any more hazardous than the optical brighteners also contained in laundry detergent. Never allow anyone to breathe any chemical powder, regardless of how familiar and unalarming it seems in daily life.
Paula
