![Pregnant women should avoid tanning if possible and extreme heat](https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/legacy/healthnews/2010/06/h10709/jcr:content/image.img.cq5dam.thumbnail.500.500.jpg/1534518027457.jpg)
UC HEALTH LINE: Pregnancy is Prettier and 'Healthier' Without the Tan
CINCINNATIIs it safe to sunbathe or tan when pregnant?
This mother-to-be question is perhaps not the first to come to mind but its logical to ask nonetheless, especially for women who live in hot geographical locations or become pregnant during the summer months.
"Nine months is such a small amount of time to make vanity sacrifices, so I advise its always best to stay on the safe side by avoiding sun exposure for the purpose of tanning altogether when pregnant, says James Van Hook , MD, professor and director of maternal-fetal medicine at UC Health.
Even though its understood that ultraviolet light cannot penetrate the body to reach the womb, or the fetus, there are other factors directly related to tanning that can put both the mother and fetus at risk, he says.
For example, during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, hormonal changes occur that alter normal pigmentation and can make the skin more susceptible to burn or rash. Even without tanning, some pregnant women experience something commonly known as "the mask of pregnancy" or chloasma, which appears as irregular brown patches on the face.
One of the biggest concerns regarding tanning and pregnancy, Van Hook says, lies with the possibility of dehydration or overheating (hyperthermia). In the initial stages of pregnancy, there are certain studies that have linked extreme hyperthermia to birth defects including heart problems, abdominal wall defects and problems with the development of the nervous system.
Both external and internal concerns for the mother and child extend to the use of tanning beds as well.
"Although dehydration issues are less likely with indoor tanning, it would seem to not make sense to increase pregnancy risk through exposure via behaviors such as the use of a tanning bed, Van Hook says.
Regardless of whether you are pregnant or not, exposure to the sun puts you at risk for premature aging and malignant melanoma (skin cancer), so its always best to follow the sun protection guidelines provided by the American Cancer Society and hydrate often.
To make an appointment with a UC Health physcian call (513) 475-8000 or visit ucphyscians.com.
Tags
Related Stories
UC 1819 Innovation Hub partner takes health care from Cincinnati...
August 30, 2024
Christopher Lewis, founder of the Village Life Outreach Project and a professor of medicine at the University of Cincinnati, strives to boost health outcomes in his hometown and across the world in Tanzania.
How to fend off mosquitoes
![The New York Times logo](/content/dam/refresh/uc-news/news-icons/dark/nyt.png)
August 30, 2024
Mosquitoes can transmit pathogens that cause diseases, including West Nile virus and, in very rare cases, a disease known as Eastern equine encephalitis, or E.E.E. A UC expert spoke to the New York Times about simple precautions to keep mosquitoes away.
Study combines data, molecular simulations to accelerate drug...
August 30, 2024
Researchers from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital have found a new method to increase both speed and success rates in drug discovery. The study, published Aug. 30 in the journal Science Advances, offers renewed promise when it comes to discovering new drugs.