Is it dangerous to tan during pregnancy?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Not many of our compatriots can boast that they live in the coastal zone, which is why the percentage of people who want to spend their holidays somewhere on a sunny beach is very high. Among vacationers, you can often find pregnant women basking in sunbathing. However, is it safe to tan during pregnancy? Let's figure it out.

Medical contraindications

Before you go on vacation, you need to make sure that tanning during pregnancy specifically in your case will not harm you and your baby.

Sunbathing should be postponed if the expectant mother has the following diagnoses:

• Placenta previa. Having such a pathology, you must completely exclude physical activity (including spending time under the sun), which can cause internal bleeding. You can identify the problem with the help of ultrasound.
• Preeclampsia (toxicosis in the late stages of pregnancy). With a similar diagnosis, it is also recommendedmaximum peace. A pregnant woman's blood pressure rises, protein is excreted in the urine, and swelling of the limbs and face appear.
• Exacerbation of an allergy or chronic illness. If you have been given a similar diagnosis, then it is highly recommended not to travel far from the city in which you are seeing a doctor. The expectant mother needs to periodically come for an examination to a specialist who, if necessary, will provide urgent and qualified assistance.
• Threatened miscarriage clearly precludes all outdoor activities.

However, if such unpleasant moments bypassed you, then, referring to the opinion of most experts, a moderate tan during pregnancy in the second trimester is absolutely safe.

What is the benefit of a tan

The best natural antidepressant is the sun's rays. They have a positive effect on the nervous system of the expectant mother, and therefore on the baby, who will be born calmer. Sunbathing stimulates metabolism, significantly increasing the level of hemoglobin in the blood. Sunburn also has a beneficial effect on the fetus in the womb, strengthening its bones. The most favorable time for walking or relaxing under the sun is morning or evening (before 11 and after 17 hours).

Sunburn during pregnancy: the consequences of excessive sun exposure

Most future mothers do not even think about what the excessive influence of ultraviolet radiation on the body can lead to. Too much sunbathing cancall:

• drastic increase in hormone levels, such as estrogen or melanin, which will lead to age spots;
• insolation (increased temperature of the internal organs), which can lead to overheating of the brain in the fetus;
• decrease in folic acid levels, which can cause abnormal development of the neural tube in a newborn baby.

How to sunbathe properly

In order to get a good and he althy tan during pregnancy, you need to correctly calculate the time for sunbathing. At a time when solar activity is minimal, ultraviolet rays have a beneficial effect on the nervous and endocrine systems, significantly strengthening the body's immunity. Under the influence of sunlight, the necessary amount of vitamin D is produced, which improves the exchange of calcium and phosphorus. This will make the skeleton of the fetus stronger and minimize the chances of developing rickets.

If an expectant mother systematically drinks vitamins, but her hair still falls out, her teeth crumble and her nails deteriorate, this means that the body is experiencing an acute deficiency of vitamin D3 and calcium. In this case, sunbathing is a must.

Sunburn in early pregnancy will be useful after preliminary preparation of the body. Start with small and rare walks in the sun (no more than a quarter of an hour), try to spend the rest of the time in the shade. Gradually, the time spent under the sun can be increased, but do not forget to wear a hat. You are requiredremember that excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays can provoke problems with the nervous system, bladder and intestines in a child.

In order to get a safe tan while in position, you must follow a number of elementary rules:

• reduce the time spent on the beach to half an hour, while being as much as possible under the umbrella;
• do not sunbathe after a heavy meal or on an empty stomach;
• drink still water;
• wear clothes made from natural fabrics;
• wear a hat.

It is recommended to use a sunscreen with maximum protection, which has no contraindications for pregnant women. When you get home, take a shower, rinse off your sunscreen and apply moisturizer.

Sun protection

Combine pregnancy and tanning in the sun will help special protective creams from children's cosmetics, labeled SPF 50+. These figures indicate that the sunscreen blocks up to 99% of the negative effects of sunlight. In order to get the necessary portion of vitamin D, it is enough to sunbathe without cream for no more than 30 minutes a week.

Before applying, make sure there is no allergic reaction. If there is none, then you can safely apply a thick layer of cream on the skin 20 minutes before going outside. After returning from the beach or a walk, apply an after-sun cream.

Instant Tanning

Most of today's pregnant women are sincerely convinced that an instant tan during pregnancy is an ideal and absolutely harmless way to get a ruddy skin color. However, it is worth remembering that when using self-tanning cream, the skin receives a huge dose of dihydroxyacetone, which is quickly absorbed and penetrates into the bloodstream. Using such means, expectant mothers, as a rule, harm the intrauterine development of the fetus.

Skin bronzing has become quite popular. Before the opening of the summer season, many women go to the salon in order to get a perfect tan of the body with a bronze tint after a pleasant procedure. However, such sessions should not be attended regularly and be under ultraviolet rays for more than 20 minutes. Otherwise, the skin may burn, and pigment spots may also appear.

In order to achieve an instant tan during pregnancy, you do not need to use any means, you just need to know the basic rules that contribute to obtaining the desired effect. Before sunbathing, warm and moisturize the skin. Thanks to these simple manipulations, all conditions are created for the tan to lie evenly over the entire body.

Important

Based on the above facts, it is clear that tanning during pregnancy can be both beneficial and harmful. Before going to sunbathing, it is necessary to consult with a doctor who observes howyour pregnancy is progressing. Do not take risks and hope for a chance. Remember that the he alth of the unborn baby largely depends on you.