How I Treated Threadworms Naturally During Pregnancy
When I was pregnant with Jasper, nearly 14 years ago now, I went on holiday to Sunny Beach in Bulgaria with my older son, Jake.
We were staying in a not-very-nice hotel. It turned out to be all-inclusive and all-you-can-eat, but the food was awful and the service wasn’t much better.
One day, I decided we needed to escape the hotel and explore somewhere else. Jake and I caught a bus to another city and spent the day walking around in the heat. I was even looking into hostels and wondering whether we could move somewhere different.
We went around a museum, and I began to feel incredibly faint. This wasn’t ordinary pregnancy tiredness or simply feeling a bit hot—I felt really unwell. Eventually, we made it back to the hotel.
A couple of days later, I saw worms in Jake’s poo. Once I realised what was happening, I checked myself and discovered that I had them too.
Because I was pregnant, I didn’t want to take the usual worming medication. I spent an entire day researching natural ways to treat threadworms, put together my own approach and followed it consistently.
It worked for me.
I have told so many people about this over the years that I thought it was time to put everything I did in one place.
Understanding the threadworm cycle
One of the most important things to understand is how easily threadworms spread and how simple it is to reinfect yourself.
The worms come out at night and lay their eggs around the anus. This causes itching, and when someone scratches, the tiny eggs can get underneath their fingernails. From there, they can be transferred to bedding, towels, toilet seats, door handles, toys and other surfaces.
The eggs can then be swallowed again, beginning the whole cycle once more.
This is why I knew that whatever I ate or took, I also needed to be meticulous about hygiene and continue for long enough to break that cycle.
I temporarily removed animal products
In my research, I came across the understanding that worms feed on animal products within the gut.
For a short period, I stopped eating meat, dairy and eggs and followed an almost entirely raw, vegan diet.
I wouldn’t recommend following a restrictive diet for a long time during pregnancy. However, for me, doing this temporarily felt preferable to taking the medication.
I made sure that I was still eating plenty of nourishing food and getting protein and fats through things such as:
Tofu
Hummus
Beans, lentils and other pulses
Nuts and seeds
Olive oil
Muesli with oat milk
It was unfortunate not to eat red meat, eggs and all the other lovely nourishing foods I would usually value during pregnancy, but this was a short-term measure for a specific reason.
Raw carrots
Carrots came up repeatedly in my research as a traditional anti-parasitic food, so I ate plenty of raw carrots throughout the two weeks.
They were easy to carry around, easy to snack on and became a significant part of what I ate during that time.
Raw garlic
I also took raw garlic.
I peeled a clove and swallowed it whole, three times a day. And yes—you are going to repel absolutely all the vampires!
The important thing with natural treatments is consistency. If you are using something such as garlic as a natural antiparasitic or antibiotic, you need to remember to take it regularly, just as you would remember to take a medication at the prescribed times.
Garlic is an absolutely amazing natural medicine when used in this way. For those two weeks, my personal routine was one raw clove, three times a day.
Pumpkin seeds
I also found information suggesting that pumpkin seeds can help to immobilise or paralyse intestinal worms, allowing the body to pass them through the bowel.
I added plenty of pumpkin seeds to my muesli and ate them throughout the day, and I ground them and added to porridge for my then 3yo.
They also provided useful plant-based protein, fats and minerals while I had temporarily removed animal products from my diet.
Diatomaceous earth
Another part of my approach was food-grade diatomaceous earth.
I had read that it could help to immobilise parasites and carry unwanted material through the digestive system, so I included it as part of my daily routine.
Homeopathic Cina
I also took the homeopathic remedy Cina daily.
Cina is traditionally associated with threadworms and some of the behaviours that can accompany them, particularly restlessness, irritability, disturbed sleep and itching around the anus.
Washing morning and night
Because threadworms lay their eggs around the anus at night, I washed the area carefully every morning and again before bed.
This didn’t need to involve a deep bath. A shallow bath or shower was enough to wash the area thoroughly and remove any eggs from the skin.
Afterwards, I applied a thick barrier of lanolin.
People often suggest Vaseline for this, but I prefer to avoid petroleum-based products where possible. Lansinoh lanolin nipple cream worked much better in fact.
The idea was to create a physical barrier around the anus while also protecting the skin from soreness and irritation.
Cleaning the home and preventing reinfection
This is an essential part of dealing with threadworms, particularly when children are involved.
It is very easy for a child to scratch their bottom, get the microscopic eggs underneath their fingernails and then spread them around the home.
During those two weeks, I paid particular attention to:
Washing bedding, towels, underwear and nightwear regularly
Cleaning toilet seats
Wiping door handles and frequently touched surfaces
Washing hands thoroughly after using the toilet and before eating
Cleaning underneath the fingernails
Keeping fingernails short
Discouraging scratching and nail-biting
Wearing clean underwear at night
Washing carefully every morning
There is little point focusing only on what is happening inside the body if the eggs are continually being picked up and swallowed again.
I continued for two full weeks
I stuck to the whole routine for two weeks.
I didn’t do one or two elements occasionally—I combined the temporary dietary change, carrots, pumpkin seeds, diatomaceous earth, homeopathic Cina, washing, barrier cream and careful household hygiene.
By the end of it, I felt fantastic. My energy levels had improved enormously and I no longer felt unwell.
I continued inspecting our poo for several weeks afterwards because I wanted to be certain. The worms had gone and they did not return.
Looking at the whole picture
This experience reinforced something I have seen many times since: when I am dealing with a health issue, I want to understand the whole picture.
I don’t only want to suppress the most obvious symptom. I want to know what is happening, how the cycle is being maintained and what I can do through food, hygiene, practical measures and natural support.
This is what I chose to do during my own pregnancy and what worked for us. I am sharing my personal experience, not prescribing a treatment for anybody else. Pregnancy and children both require particular care, so please research anything you are considering and seek individual advice where needed.
If you have used other natural approaches to threadworms, you are welcome to share your experience in the comments below.