Can pregnant women soak in hot springs?
Pregnant women should not soak in hot springs. Elevated body temperature during pregnancy may cause abnormalities in fetal neural and spinal cord development. While many view hot spring soaking as a form of relaxation, expectant mothers carrying a baby may need to temporarily forgo this stress-relief method.
While the average body temperature is around 37°C, pregnant women typically experience a 0.5°C increase due to progesterone. Hot springs can further elevate body temperature. Prolonged exposure above 38.5°C increases the risk of fetal central nervous system abnormalities and may even cause severe consequences like anencephaly.Given these considerations, expectant mothers should avoid leisure activities that elevate body temperature.