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High Heat in Early Pregnancy

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
I am very worried about having done hot yoga during the week I conceived (Feb. 18). Approximately two days after conception (Feb. 20), I joined a Bikram yoga class, where the temperature is kept at a minimum 105 degrees for an hour and a half class. That week, I went to the class almost every day for about 8 days (Feb. 20-28) and then the following week, once (march 4). 3 days later that week (March 7)I took a pregnancy test and tested positive. I immediately stopped going to the yoga class and but now I am reading EVERYWHERE that even staying in a hot tub over 100 degrees can be dangerous for the baby during the first trimester.

I am very nervous. I think somewhere I read that heat will begin to affect the embryo from 2 weeks after conception. Is that true? Or can heat cause problems/ deformities/ impaired neural function from the moment of conception?

My first prenatal exam is weeks away and I don't think I can wait that long for an answer!

ANSWER

If you know you are pregnant, why is your first visit weeks away????? you should find someone who is actually going to take care of you, don't you think? Why would you settle for someone who is not doing the job?

But anyway, to answer your question, I am one of those who recommends against hot tubs during pregnancy (better safe than sorry), but there is no actual evidence that they do any harm. The baby is well-protected!

-- Cynthia, CNM. PhD.

Cynthia Flynn

Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, is the General Director of the Family Health and Birth Center which provides prenatal, birth, postnatal, gynecological and primary health care to underserved women and their families in Washington, D.C. Recently Cynthia served as Associate Professor of Nursing at Seattle University. There she not only taught, but remained in full scope clinical midwifery practice at Valley Medical Center where she cared for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.