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Methodology

Public, clinical-grade proof of how we classify pregnancy risk

The cards below use the same ingredient dataset shown inside the app's Ingredient Flags. Each row stores hazard_score, mechanism_score, exposure_score, safety_score, and risk_band.

We package that data into the MamaSkin Safety Score so clinicians, pharmacists, and expecting parents see consistent evidence.

Safety Score Ladder

Band-first scoring with real ingredient examples

Example safety scores taken from the MamaSkin ingredient dataset (UUIDs available on request).

Score 90-100

No Known Risks

Severity 0.00 - 0.18

No known pregnancy-specific concerns at typical cosmetic concentrations and routes of use, based on current evidence.

Example ingredients

Niacinamide

Vitamin B3 barrier support. Dataset row flagged “no known risks” with hazard score 0.

Panthenol

Pro-vitamin B5 humectant. Marked safe across PubMed + EU Cosing references.

Score 70-89

Low Risk

Severity 0.18 - 0.38

Minor cautions including irritation, limited data, or limited transparency (e.g., fragrance/aroma blends).

Example ingredients

Azelaic Acid (15-20%)

Widely recommended for melasma. Recorded as “low risk” with mechanism score 2.

Lactic Acid (<=10%)

AHA humectant/exfoliant. Tracked as low risk at modest cosmetic strengths with irritation as the main caution.

Score 40-69

Medium Risk

Severity 0.38 - 0.68

At least one ingredient we recommend avoiding or discussing, often because of endocrine/systemic concerns or limited pregnancy-specific data.

Example ingredients

Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)

Tracked as medium risk in our ingredient table due to systemic/endocrine concern signals.

Benzophenone-3 (Oxybenzone)

Endocrine disruption concerns logged from PubMed + American Academy of Dermatology.

Score 0-39

High Risk

Severity 0.68 - 1.00

Strong warnings/contraindications or high-concern categories where systemic exposure is the key risk driver.

Example ingredients

5-OH Retinoic Acid (Tretinoin)

Marked teratogenic (FDA Cat X). Hazard, mechanism, and exposure scores are all 3.

Isotretinoin

Oral/systemic retinoid with strong teratogenic warnings (FDA Cat X). Contraindicated in pregnancy.

Computational workflow

What happens between scan and score

1. Ingredient ingestion

We normalise every INCI list (tidy spacing, collapse synonyms, account for dosage hints) so it lines up with our ingredient dataset.

2. Evidence weighting

Each matched ingredient carries hazard, mechanism, and exposure notes, plus a plain-language evidence summary and sources.

3. Band-first logic

The riskiest ingredient sets the overall band. If one medium-risk ingredient is present, the product stays in Medium until the formula changes.

4. Severity blending

We blend peak severity with an average view of all detected ingredients so hidden clusters of medium-risk entries cannot hide behind safer ones.

5. MamaSkin Safety Score

The resulting severity maps to the 0-100 MamaSkin Safety Score that you see inside the app, alongside the ingredient explanations.

Clinical guardrails

Checks mirrored inside the app

  • Hormone disruption potential
  • Skin absorption rates during pregnancy
  • Fetal development & teratogenicity
  • Allergenic and irritant properties
  • Chemical stability & metabolite activity
  • Concentration trends in-market

Medical vocabulary in use

Ingredient detail screens surface terms such as teratogenic, contraindicated, endocrine disruptor, and fetotoxic with plain-language explanations so clinicians and consumers see the same taxonomy.

Evidence base

Primary sources powering every score