Baby Safety / Compounds / Sodium pyrithione

Is Sodium pyrithione safe for babies and kids?

Context-dependent for kids

(Babies-specific data is limited; this page draws from human pregnant context.) Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Sodium pyrithione, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

What is sodium pyrithione?

Also known as: Omadine sodium, Sodium (2-pyridylthio)-N-oxide, sodium (1-oxidopyridin-1-ium-2-yl)sulfanide, 2-Mercaptopyridinen-oxide sodiumsalt.

CAS number
3811-73-2
Molecular formula
C5H4NNaOS
Molecular weight
149.15 g/mol
SMILES
C1=CC(=S)N(C=C1)[O-].[Na+]
PubChem CID
19658

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Sodium pyrithione, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Sodium pyrithione, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Sodium pyrithione.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
Unknown——

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter sodium pyrithione

  • Consumer Products — various

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Sodium pyrithione:

  • H2O2; UV
    Trade-offs: Alternative approach; specific tradeoffs depend on application context, scale, and regulatory requirements. Full hazard assessment of alternative recommended before adoption to avoid regrettable substitution.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

What products contain sodium pyrithione?

Sodium pyrithione appears in: various (Consumer products).

See Sodium pyrithione in the baby app

Look up products containing sodium pyrithione, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. PubChem (2026) — database

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →