Pregnancy Risk in Tanning Beds
For moms-to-be with a love for bronzed skin, pregnancy may be a time to reevaluate their time spent in tanning beds. While there have been no conclusive studies that prove tanning beds are harmful to a developing fetus, most doctors agree that there is serious potential for pregnancy risk in tanning beds. Some pregnant women may choose to continue using tanning beds during pregnancy since there is no clear evidence that they are harmful to the fetus, but most choose to err on the side of safety and avoid tanning beds during pregnancy.
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Exposure to UV Rays
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One of the perceived pregnancy risks in tanning beds is the direct exposure of the mother to UV rays. There is much debate about whether the UV rays delivered by tanning beds reach far enough to affect the fetus, and no studies have yet been performed to provide accurate information on that hypothesis. However, most doctors advise that since there is a possibility that the UV rays can reach the fetus, pregnant women should avoid tanning beds. Exposure to UV rays can result in folic acid deficiency, which can cause serious malformations in the fetus like spina bifida.
Overheating
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Another possible pregnancy risk in tanning beds is the potential for the mother to overheat, which can have harmful effects on the developing fetus. Just as pregnant women are advised to avoid soaking in hot baths, it is also recommended that they avoid tanning beds since there is the possibility for overheating, which can cause fetal malformations. However, previous studies have shown that fetal malformations typically only occur when the mother's body temperature reaches 102 degrees or more for a prolonged period and regulations governing tanning beds in the U.S. limit the maximum temperature of tanning beds to 100 degrees.
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Skin Damage
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While there may yet to be any proven pregnancy risk in tanning beds to the growing fetus, there are some very definite proven risks to the pregnant woman. Both exposure to the sun and artificial UV rays like those found in tanning beds can damage a woman's skin in pregnancy even more than it would when she is not pregnant. A pregnant woman's skin is more susceptible to damage as it stretches and changes during the months of pregnancy, making it easier for her to get sunburns and splotching from exposure to UV rays.
Precautions
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Before using tanning beds during pregnancy, pregnant women should consult their doctors to receive the most up to date information on pregnancy risk in tanning beds. Women who opt to use tanning beds during pregnancy despite the risks should be sure to limit tanning sessions and stay cool and hydrated when tanning.
Sunless Tanning
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For those women who wish to avoid the pregnancy risk in tanning beds but still look sun-kissed, sunless tanning lotions may be a good alternative. Most doctors advise against using sunless tanning products during the first trimester because there is the possibility that the active ingredient, dihydroxyacetone, could pass through the mother's skin, into her bloodstream, and to the growing fetus through the placenta. Past the first trimester most, but not all, physicians agree that sunless tanning lotions are safe for pregnant women.
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