Is It Safe to Use a Sauna During Pregnancy?

Using a sauna during pregnancy carries real risks, and major medical organizations including ACOG and Mayo Clinic advise pregnant people to avoid saunas entirely or seek specific guidance from their OB before any session. The core concern is overheating: raising your core body temperature too high, for too long, particularly in the first trimester, is associated with serious risks to the developing baby.

The short answer

Sauna use during pregnancy is not considered safe by the leading obstetric and medical authorities. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) advises pregnant people to avoid activities that raise core body temperature above 101 to 102 degrees F, a threshold a traditional sauna can reach within minutes. First-trimester exposure carries the greatest concern: elevated maternal core temperature during weeks 3 to 14 has been associated with increased risk of neural tube defects, which affect the baby's brain and spinal cord. Infrared saunas operate at lower air temperatures but still raise core body temperature and do not carry a separate safety clearance from major medical bodies. If you are pregnant, the right step is to speak with your OB or midwife before using any sauna, hot tub, or high-heat environment. This article is educational and is not medical advice.

Why does overheating matter during pregnancy?

The central risk is maternal hyperthermia: a sustained rise in your core body temperature that the developing fetus cannot regulate independently.

Your core temperature normally sits around 98.6 degrees F (37 degrees C). Research indicates that a rise of 1.5 to 2 degrees C above baseline, bringing core temperature to approximately 102 degrees F (38.9 degrees C) or above, reaches the threshold where heat exposure can affect fetal development. A foundational study published in JAMA (PubMed) established the link between maternal hyperthermia and neural tube defects in humans, and subsequent research has reinforced this association.

In a traditional sauna at 170 to 195 degrees F (77 to 90 degrees C), a healthy non-pregnant adult may take 15 to 30 minutes to push core temperature to that threshold. During pregnancy, cardiovascular changes can accelerate the process. The fetus has no independent ability to cool down.

The risk is not limited to saunas: hot tubs, steam rooms, and high fevers carry the same concern through the same mechanism.

What do ACOG and Mayo Clinic say?

Both of the most widely cited US medical authorities take a conservative position on this topic.

ACOG advises pregnant people to avoid activities that raise core body temperature above 102.2 degrees F (39 degrees C) and explicitly names saunas and hot tubs as examples. The Mayo Clinic states that sauna use during pregnancy is not recommended and advises patients to skip saunas and hot tubs for the duration of pregnancy. Kaiser Permanente and the American Pregnancy Association echo the same guidance.

No major US obstetric authority has issued guidance clearing saunas as safe during pregnancy. The consistent message across organizations is: avoid, or at minimum consult your clinician before any exposure.

When during pregnancy is heat exposure most risky?

The first trimester carries the greatest concern, but risk does not disappear after week 14.

Neural tube closure occurs between approximately weeks 3 and 4 of pregnancy, often before a person knows they are pregnant. The embryo remains highly sensitive to heat through roughly week 14, which encompasses the full first trimester. Hyperthermia during this window has been associated with neural tube defects (including spina bifida and anencephaly) as well as other structural abnormalities.

In the second and third trimesters, the neural tube risk decreases, but overheating still poses other concerns: dehydration, low blood pressure, reduced blood flow to the placenta, and fainting. Heat also stresses the cardiovascular system, which is already under additional load during pregnancy.

The practical takeaway: the first trimester is the period of highest documented risk, but no trimester is considered a safe window for unrestricted sauna use.

Is an infrared sauna safer than a traditional sauna during pregnancy?

Infrared saunas operate at lower air temperatures (typically 120 to 150 degrees F vs. 170 to 195 degrees F for traditional), but lower air temperature does not mean lower core body temperature risk.

Infrared radiation heats the body directly rather than heating the surrounding air first. Studies confirm that infrared sauna sessions raise core body temperature, just with a different rate and time course than a traditional Finnish sauna. Some people can tolerate longer sessions in infrared saunas before feeling uncomfortably hot, which can paradoxically increase the risk of inadvertently exceeding the safe core temperature threshold.

There is no pregnancy-specific clinical research demonstrating that infrared sauna use is safe in any trimester. ACOG and Mayo Clinic guidance does not distinguish between sauna types; the concern is core temperature elevation, not the mechanism by which the heat is delivered. Treat infrared and traditional saunas with the same caution during pregnancy.

Safer alternatives to sauna during pregnancy

If you used a sauna regularly for relaxation or recovery before pregnancy, there are lower-risk options that can serve some of the same purposes.

Warm (not hot) baths at or below 98 to 100 degrees F are generally considered acceptable if kept brief, since water at that temperature does not rapidly drive core temperature upward. Gentle stretching, prenatal yoga, walking, and light swimming are well-studied and broadly endorsed for pregnancy. If muscle tension and stress relief were your primary sauna goals, massage therapy and mindfulness practices are effective alternatives with no heat-related risks.

If contrast therapy (heat and cold) was part of your recovery routine, pause it during pregnancy. Cold plunging carries its own set of considerations during pregnancy; the sibling article Who Should Not Cold Plunge? covers that in detail.

After delivery, you can revisit sauna use with your clinician. Many people return to regular sauna sessions postpartum once cleared. The Sauna Safety Guidelines page and Sauna Contraindications page are good resources for understanding safe sauna use in general.

Frequently asked questions

Can you use a sauna in the first trimester?

The first trimester is the period of greatest concern for sauna-related heat exposure. Neural tube closure occurs between weeks 3 and 4, before many pregnancies are confirmed, and the embryo remains vulnerable through roughly week 14. ACOG advises avoiding activities that raise core body temperature above 102 degrees F, a threshold traditional saunas can reach in under 15 minutes. If you used a sauna before knowing you were pregnant, discuss this with your OB; a single brief exposure is not the same as prolonged or repeated use, but only your clinician can evaluate your specific situation.

Is a 15-minute sauna session safe during pregnancy?

No specific time limit has been declared safe by ACOG or other major obstetric bodies. Duration matters, but so does ambient temperature, your individual physiology, hydration status, and which week of pregnancy you are in. A 15-minute session in a 190-degree traditional sauna can push core temperature above 102 degrees F in some individuals. There is no medically established safe window for sauna use during pregnancy. The conservative guidance from major medical organizations is to avoid saunas during pregnancy rather than to set a time limit.

Can I use a sauna after giving birth?

Many people return to sauna use postpartum, but the right timing depends on how delivery went and whether you are breastfeeding. Most clinicians suggest waiting at least 4 to 6 weeks after an uncomplicated vaginal delivery, and longer after a cesarean section or any complications. Sauna heat can affect fluid balance, which matters if you are breastfeeding. Your OB or midwife is the right person to give you a specific clearance for your situation. Once cleared, the Sauna Safety Guidelines page covers how to use a sauna comfortably and responsibly.

If you are planning to return to regular sauna use after pregnancy, browsing the infrared sauna collection at Restore Suite is a good starting point. Infrared saunas are popular for postpartum recovery and general wellness; we carry authorized models with free US shipping, financing, and HSA/FSA eligibility. Review the Sauna Safety Guidelines and the Sauna Contraindications page before your first session back.