Sun exposure during pregnancy

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Jun 9, 2005

The only risk I know of is heat related, if she gets dehydrated she could go into preemie labor. When I was pregnant I floated in our pool for hours...it was the only relief I had from a scorcher of a summer.

allnurses Guide · Jun 9, 2005

The only risk I know of is heat related, if she gets dehydrated she could go into preemie labor. When I was pregnant I floated in our pool for hours...it was the only relief I had from a scorcher of a summer.

That is all I can think of too that would be a risk to the baby.

Of course mom is increasing her risk of skin cancer and WRINKLES.

There was a recent study that the use of sunscreen has actually backfired a bit when it comes to Vit D . . .. I think the recommendation I read was 20 minutes of sun a day was a good thing.

But next week they will say something different . . . . :)

steph

SmilingBluEyes · Jun 9, 2005

there are theories that body chemistry changes make burning more likely and quicker when pregnant. Anyone who sun-worships, pregnant or not, is asking for skin cancer, period. I saw plenty of it in Arizona. It's so not worth that golden look you get.

And yes, overheating is a REAL risk in pregnancy. Laying in the sun for hours DOES raise body temperature. It's why we tell moms not to use hottubs and saunas. A huge rise in body temps is NOT good for the baby.

If you can't appeal to her good sense, appeal to vanity. I have taken care of hundreds and hundreds of women patients in OB/GYN. I can always tell the smokers and sunworshipers by their skin tone and condition. I have seen women at 35-40 who look 60 or 70. I have also seen women in their 60s who had the skin of many 30 year olds (Washington has a lot of cloudy days and women who did not lay around in tanning beds or in the sun all summer look realllly good here). Tanning your hide just is not worth it. The damage is irreversible, no matter what the cosmetic surgery industry may say.

PJMommy · Jun 9, 2005

I agree with everyone else. When I had my first child, I was 23 and never believed I might really look older some day. I spent hours at the pool with a big belly. No damage to baby - I stayed hydrated. But, 13 years later, with wrinkles creeping up on me and sun spots (age spots) all over my legs, I regret every moment worshiping the sun. I'm a SPF 30 kind of girl now. And the bronzers in the bottle work just as well without the detrimental effects of the sun.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Jun 9, 2005

thanks guys. she's 31, and already has that leathery look. she's white, and darker than her spanish husband!!

babyktchr, BSN, RN · Jun 9, 2005

I work in a beach area community hospital, and the memorial day weekend begins our summer of out of town patients who just forget about health and well being while sunning and splashing. We get sooo many pregnant women who come in with cramping because they were out on the beach all day and didn't drink enough. I tell you, I would make a fortune setting up a tent on the boardwalk for IV fluids and monitoring. I know that I...being NOT in a pregnant state...cannot get enough to drink while I am basting on the beach. I simply cannot understand how a pregnant person can do it. ( I know, it cuts down on the need to wee) It also boggles my mind that getting sun overrides common sense, such as travelling out of state when 39 weeks pregnant because aunt sarahs cousins neighbor has a condo at the beach. Oh and did I tell you that I have placenta previa and am on bedrest, but I thought since I would be laying on the beach that would be the same thing... UG

Here's to summer.

Aneroo, LPN · Jun 9, 2005

I think dehydration is the biggest risk. Body temp also isn't supposed to get above 102 (I think- purging from What to Expect When Expecting). Swimming is awesome during pregnancy though. -andrea

SmilingBluEyes · Jun 9, 2005

I work in a beach area community hospital, and the memorial day weekend begins our summer of out of town patients who just forget about health and well being while sunning and splashing. We get sooo many pregnant women who come in with cramping because they were out on the beach all day and didn't drink enough. I tell you, I would make a fortune setting up a tent on the boardwalk for IV fluids and monitoring. I know that I...being NOT in a pregnant state...cannot get enough to drink while I am basting on the beach. I simply cannot understand how a pregnant person can do it. ( I know, it cuts down on the need to wee) It also boggles my mind that getting sun overrides common sense, such as travelling out of state when 39 weeks pregnant because aunt sarahs cousins neighbor has a condo at the beach. Oh and did I tell you that I have placenta previa and am on bedrest, but I thought since I would be laying on the beach that would be the same thing... UG
Here's to summer.

I see this ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL the time seeing as I live an hour from the coast. I can't count how many dehydrated women I see coming in at 8 or 10 at night, contracting away due to too much time in the sun and too little to drink. It's nearly impossible to keep up if you are in the sun all day, and it's 85 and you are pregnant. The absolute worst case I saw was that of a diabetic woman brought in by ambulance-----one whose sugars were in the 750-800 range and she was in acidosis at that point, barely coherent.

She ignored the doctor's advice to stay home, keep cool (it was exceptionally hot for Oregon/WA that day, in the 85-90 degree range, which many are not used to)------the doctor had also told her to drink plenty of fluids. She KNEW what diabetes was all about, but did not seem it all applied to her. Her sugars were in poor control all along.

Anyhow, she and her family thought going down to Oregon and being in the sun all day (nearly 3 hours from home) was a good idea, anyhow. Sad to say, her baby had died by the time she got to us. No, the sun alone did not do this, but the combination of dehydration and poor sugar control did. It was a perfectly formed 8lb baby at 38 weeks' gestation, born still. Beyond sad.

Many pregnant women need to be reminded: Pregnancy is a very short time in one's life. It's not too much to ask to take special care during that time, when you are growing a whole new human being, is it? It's too easy to dehydrate when pregnant. And it makes no sense to tempt fate and court poor health those few months.

babyktchr, BSN, RN · Jun 9, 2005

I see this ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL the time seeing as I live an hour from the coast. I can't count how many dehydrated women I see coming in at 8 or 10 at night, contracting away due to too much time in the sun and too little to drink. It's nearly impossible to keep up if you are in the sun all day, and it's 85 and you are pregnant. The absolute worst case I saw was that of a diabetic woman brought in by ambulance-----one whose sugars were in the 750-800 range and she was in acidosis at that point, barely coherent.
She ignored the doctor's advice to stay home, keep cool (it was exceptionally hot for Oregon/WA that day, in the 85-90 degree range, which many are not used to)------the doctor had also told her to drink plenty of fluids. She KNEW what diabetes was all about, but did not seem it all applied to her. Her sugars were in poor control all along.
Anyhow, she and her family thought going down to Oregon and being in the sun all day (nearly 3 hours from home) was a good idea, anyhow. Sad to say, her baby had died by the time she got to us. No, the sun alone did not do this, but the combination of dehydration and poor sugar control did. It was a perfectly formed 8lb baby at 38 weeks' gestation, born still. Beyond sad.
Many pregnant women need to be reminded: Pregnancy is a very short time in one's life. It's not too much to ask to take special care during that time, when you are growing a whole new human being, is it? It's too easy to dehydrate when pregnant. And it makes no sense to tempt fate and court poor health those few months.

AMEN sister

MacNurse · Jun 9, 2005

It also depends on what stage of pregnancy too.

UVA rays can also penetrate capilaries which can result in the destruction of folate, which I'm sure we all know is important during pregnancy.

There's acutally a case in Argentina of 3 women that went sun tanning during their pregnancy, and all 3 children had varying degrees of spina bifida. So if you're friend is short on folate, suntanning, and in the early stages of pregnancy, this would definitely be a bad thing.

athomas91 · Jun 10, 2005

i am having problems drinking enough to begin with - I can't imagine trying to keep up if out in the sun trying to get tan?!?!

I was told not to sunbath/tanning bed because your body temp can rise - but also - a hot sun beating down on your belly gets hot - the fetus may feel the same as if it were a fever - which can be detrimental to development...

at least from my reading and my doc - that is why you should opt not to while pregnant.