Owning a hot tub has great social benefits! Inviting friends over for an evening in the hot tub is an offer that sometimes cant be refused! Owing a hot tub can also have immediate physical and psychological benefits.

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). The same applies to fevers during pregnancy.

A fever during pregnancy, especially in the early stages can cause problems but research so far does not show if it can actually cause a miscarriage, unless the fever is extremely high and prolonged.

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 could be more health issues with the baby.

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. You should be aware that being in a hot tub for a short period can raise your temperature.

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.