# VERY Early Pregnancy and Hot Tubs and Sauna



## OMama (Feb 18, 2005)

A friend of mine is TTC with their first but we had a trip to the spa planned this weekend. There are lots of 'hot' pools, 'hot' rooms, and saunas to enjoy. But she is wondering if conception as already taken place and implantation is happening now, if this exposure to heat would be harmful. She really is really excited to be PG and has been waiting a long time. I'm so excited for her too. Anyway, she thinks it will be okay to go, but does anyone know for certain?


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## SandraS (Jan 18, 2007)

They're perfectly safe all the way thru pregnancy as long as they don't raise your body temp too much. Limit the time in them to like 10-15 minutes, cool off, and back in. My OB is still stunned that people won't use these WONDERFUL relaxation tools (hot tubs, saunas) while preggo...


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## XanaduMama (May 19, 2006)

I read that, if your body temp gets hot enough to hurt the baby, you'd be feeling ill, dizzy, overheated etc. It has to get pretty hot. So as long as you aren't feeling too hot, the baby should be fine.


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## Belleweather (Nov 11, 2004)

The thing about hot tubs and saunas is that they are *correlated* with a possible slight risk of neural tube defects if you spend too much time in them and raise your temperature during the first 100 days of pregnancy. That's the "big risk" that has everyone advising pregnant women to avoid hot tubs for their whole pregnancy.

Honestly, if I were her I would be moderate and not stay in too long or let herself get too hot, make sure to take her folic acid (which we KNOW reduces the risk of neural tube defects) and not worry about it. But she has to decide how much risk she wants to take on.


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## mommycakes (Sep 21, 2005)

Hi!

I personally wouldn't take that chance. I've read that it's especially important to stay out of hot tubs/spas in the first 7-8 weeks of pregnancy. After that, it seems that it's o.k. as long as you're monitoring your body temp. and keeping it to short (15 minute) dips.

I've read up on it--I just _have_ to know when I can get back into our hot tub









I'll try to find my source and give you gals a call.


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## mommycakes (Sep 21, 2005)

"Note however that it is not advisable to spend long periods in very warm baths and hot tubs in the first three months of pregnancy, as elevated maternal temperature is a risk factor for birth abnormalities in the baby."
-Ask the experts, Sarah Buckley, Mothering.com

Martha Sears says that it is most risky in the last part of the first month of pregnancy but to use caution in the first trimester as elevated temperatures can cause fetal death or neural tube disorders.

It would probably be fine as long as your friend doesn't allow herself to get too hot. It seems it's most important to be sure that body temperature does not go above 102 degrees. So, short dips with lots of cool down breaks in between. I still personally wouldn't risk it, but that's my personal opinion.

I'm jealous. The spa sounds about perfect right now. Actually, a nap and clean laundry sounds absolutely perfect _right now_--spa is a very close second.


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## sarahtdubb (Apr 30, 2007)

My midwife told me that one concern about hot tubs is that they allow you to be fully submersed, so your body heats up faster--she advised me to just keep a portion of my body out of the water, to help keep my body temperature down, and to get out once I start feeling too hot. Then I would just sit with my feet in and enjoy the company!


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## Ironica (Sep 11, 2005)

I'll do hot tubs while pregnant, but I get out when I notice I'm sweating. That's a hint that my body temp is starting to rise.

Sauna I wouldn't do, since the whole POINT is to get a good sweat going! ;-)


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## Vicitoria (Dec 17, 2004)

it's common sense, if you get too hot, you get out and cool off.

I got pregnant in the hot tub, spent many pregnant nights in the hot tub and even totally sped up my labor in it. DS is perfect!


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