Can You Go in a Sauna While Pregnant?
It's best to avoid saunas and steam rooms in pregnancy — like hot tubs, they can raise your core temperature too high.
The full answer
Saunas and steam rooms carry the same concern as hot tubs: they can raise your core body temperature above the roughly 102°F (39°C) threshold that, especially in the first trimester, has been linked to a higher risk of neural-tube defects — and overheating can also make you feel faint. Because the heat is intense and you tend to stay in for a while, the usual advice is to avoid saunas, steam rooms, and hot tubs during pregnancy. Pregnancy already makes you more prone to feeling hot and light-headed, so a hot, enclosed room is best skipped. If you want to relax and warm up, a warm (not hot) bath or a swim is a much safer choice.
Safer alternatives
- Safer alternatives: a warm bath or a swim
- If you're ever exposed to that heat, keep it very brief and leave if you feel faint
- Stay well hydrated and cool, especially in the first trimester
When to avoid: Avoid saunas, steam rooms, and hot tubs throughout pregnancy, particularly in the first trimester.
Staying safe and active in pregnancy
Most “can I do this?” questions in pregnancy come down to three things. Overheating — anything that pushes your core temperature above about 102°F (39°C), like hot tubs, saunas, and very hot baths — is best avoided, especially in the first trimester. Impact and balance — falls, contact sports, and jarring, high-force rides are the reason some activities are off-limits later on. And infection or absorption — the reason tattoos and some treatments call for caution. Set against that, movement is actively encouraged: about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week is recommended in a healthy pregnancy. When in doubt about your situation, your midwife or provider is the final word.
For the full picture, see our pregnancy safety guide, and track your pregnancy with the How Far Along Am I? calculator and the week-by-week guide.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you go in a sauna while pregnant?
- It's best to avoid saunas and steam rooms in pregnancy — like hot tubs, they can raise your core temperature too high. Saunas and steam rooms carry the same concern as hot tubs: they can raise your core body temperature above the roughly 102°F (39°C) threshold that, especially in the first trimester, has been linked to a higher risk of neural-tube defects — and overheating can also make you feel faint. Because the heat is intense and you tend to stay in for a while, the usual advice is to avoid saunas, steam rooms, and hot tubs during pregnancy. Pregnancy already makes you more prone to feeling hot and light-headed, so a hot, enclosed room is best skipped. If you want to relax and warm up, a warm (not hot) bath or a swim is a much safer choice.
- Why is using a sauna not recommended in pregnancy?
- Saunas and steam rooms carry the same concern as hot tubs: they can raise your core body temperature above the roughly 102°F (39°C) threshold that, especially in the first trimester, has been linked to a higher risk of neural-tube defects — and overheating can also make you feel faint. Because the heat is intense and you tend to stay in for a while, the usual advice is to avoid saunas, steam rooms, and hot tubs during pregnancy. Pregnancy already makes you more prone to feeling hot and light-headed, so a hot, enclosed room is best skipped. If you want to relax and warm up, a warm (not hot) bath or a swim is a much safer choice.
- When should I avoid using a sauna during pregnancy?
- Avoid saunas, steam rooms, and hot tubs throughout pregnancy, particularly in the first trimester.