Using a hot tub when pregnant
The social benefits of owning a hot tub are truly fantastic and should not be overlooked! Inviting friends over for an evening in the hot tub is an offer that sometimes cant be refused! However, you will also derive substantial and more immediate physical and psychological benefits from ownership and use of a Hot Tub or Spa.
But is a hot tub or a Jacuzzi a safer proposition to use than a hot tub when you are pregnant?
Is a hot tub or a Jacuzzi a safer proposition to use than a hot tub when you are pregnant?
It seems that the reason behind the recommendation against using hot tubs is to do with body temperature.
A high body temperature in early pregnancy can increase the risk of neural tube defects (abnormalities in the development of the brain or spine of the baby). This applies to people who have a fever when pregnant.
A prolonged and high fever can sometimes lead to problems and sometimes miscarriage in pregnancy.
There is some evidence however that using hot tubs in early pregnancy could increase the risk of miscarrying in addition to neural tube defects. There is not enough conclusive evidence and more likely the baby will be at risk.
Due to this known link with neural tube defects it is recommended by doctors that women should avoid raising their body temperature above 101 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact ten to twenty minutes in a hot tub can raise the body temperature to 102 degrees.
A lot of people like to use different temperatures of the hot tub, but to be safe; you should keep at a healthy heat and not overdo it. If you raise the temperature to a very high level, your skin can end up being damaged and potentially burnt. The general temperature that should be reserved is around 90-100 degrees.
Therefore the consensus of opinion is better to be safe than sorry and avoid using a hot tub during pregnancy.
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