Q: I am about 5-7 weeks pregnant. I have a doctor's appointment next week to confirm exact stage. My husband accidentally spilled petrol at the gas station and the fumes might have been absorbed in the car when he got in. I have been inhaling the gas fumes through breathing and am very worried that it could have harmed my baby. The smell hasn't gone completely from the car and it has been two days since the spillage. Should I be worried?

A:Inhaled material from spilled petrol can pass from the mother's lung into her circulation, but cannot pass from the mother's blood to the baby, because it is prevented by the placental barrier. There is, therefore, no cause for alarm, concern or worry.