Hot Tubs In Pregnancy
Past older literature also attributes high maternal temperatures with multiple congenital anomalies in humans, especially when exposure occurs in the first trimester. neural tube defects
facial anomalies such as micrognathia (small jaw), external ear anomalies, microphthalmia, (small eye development) and midface hypoplasia (underdevelopment of the middle of the face).
Among the anomalies described are:
- Limb defects
- Cardiac defects
- Miscarriage
How accurate are the studies that were done to show the association between hot tubs and congenital anomalies?
One study in 1979 (Uhari, British Med Journal) examined the effects of saunas on pregnant Finnish women and found no association with congenital defects in infants. This may be attributed to the lower temperatures used by Finnish women and shorter times spent (6 to 12 minutes) in the sauna compared to American women.
Women with exposure to hot tub, sauna, or fever early in pregnancy were found to be 2.2 times more likely to have a fetus with a neural tube defect compared to women without this exposure. Hot tub exposure appeared to have the strongest effect compared to all the other ways elevated temperature can occur.
Why would hot tub use be more likely to cause anomalies when compared to saunas or maternal fever?
What are considered the critical temperatures for a pregnant woman to be concerned about?
Prolonged elevation of a woman’s body temperature to 38.9 degrees C (102 degrees F) was determined to be the critical level that can cause anomalies. The critical time frame for a woman’s body to reach this temperature was 15 minutes in a 39 degree C (102.2 degree F) tub or 10 minutes in a 41.1 degree C (106 degree F) tub.
It was found that prolonged high temperatures or multiple temperature spikes at lower temperature elevations had worse effects than a single temperature spike.
Although there is some controversy regarding some of the studies, exposure of pregnant women to heat in the first trimester via a hot tub, sauna, or fever is associated with an increased risk of neural tube defects. It is highly recommended that obstetricians, health clubs, private stores selling equipment, and other facilities with hot tubs and saunas warn pregnant women of these risks to the fetus when pregnant women are exposed to elevated temperatures for prolonged periods of time. Beaute de Maman recognizes the importance of safe products for pregnancy.
Why Can’t I Take a Hot Bath During Pregnancy?
Taking a bath during pregnancy causes thrush: This rumour stems from the advice that you should not use heavily fragranced bathing products during pregnancy, as the risk of thrush is higher. Taking a bath during pregnancy will not cause thrush if you use a pregnancy friendly bathing product or opt for essential oils (*note* only use essential oils after your first trimester)
A hot bath will ‘cook’ your baby: Although hot baths are not recommended during pregnancy, they do not ‘cook’ your baby. So if you have taken a hot bath before knowing you were pregnant, don’t worry.
Hot baths will induce labour: This rumour most likely stems from study’s suggesting that hot baths increase the risk of miscarriage.
It is okay to take a hot bath because studies only cover saunas and hot tubs: This is a very dangerous myth. A hot bath does have the potential to raise your core body temperature in the same way that a sauna or hot tub would. So as long as your bath is warm and not hot, you are safe to continue bathing during your pregnancy.
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment