Is an infrared sauna safer during pregnancy?

A lower air temperature does not establish that an infrared sauna is safe during pregnancy. Both types expose the body to heat, and there is not enough evidence to recommend infrared sauna use as a safer alternative.

What should I do if I feel overheated during pregnancy?

Leave the heat, move to a cooler place, and seek prompt medical guidance if symptoms such as fainting, confusion, chest pain, severe headache, persistent dizziness, or concerning pregnancy symptoms occur.

Pregnancy safety

Sauna During Pregnancy: Current Guidance and Safer Next Steps

Source review · August 2026

Bottom line: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says it is best not to use a sauna or hot tub early in pregnancy because overheating can be harmful. Ask your obstetric clinician or midwife for advice specific to your pregnancy.

Online advice often offers precise temperature limits or a number of "safe" minutes. Those rules can create false confidence because heat response differs by person, stage of pregnancy, sauna design, hydration, medication, and health history.

What ACOG says

ACOG's patient guidance says it is best not to use a sauna or hot tub early in pregnancy. The concern is a rise in core body temperature. The same guidance notes that a hot tub can raise body temperature faster than a sauna because sweating is less effective in water.

Primary source: ACOG, "Can I use a sauna or hot tub early in pregnancy?"

Why research does not create a DIY safe limit

Research on pregnancy and environmental heat is complex. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis examined maternal hyperthermia across exposures, but findings across controlled exercise, passive heat, climate, and observational studies cannot be reduced to one universal sauna rule.

That is why this page does not recommend a session length, temperature, trimester exception, or postpartum return date. Those decisions belong with a clinician who knows the pregnancy and can account for individual risk.

Research source: systematic review and meta-analysis of maternal hyperthermia during pregnancy.

Infrared is not a proven safer workaround

Infrared cabins often operate at lower air temperatures than traditional saunas, but lower air temperature alone does not prove lower pregnancy risk. Both expose the body to heat, products and protocols vary, and there is not enough evidence to recommend infrared use as a safer pregnancy alternative.

Questions to ask your clinician

Should I avoid all sauna, hot-tub, steam-room, and high-heat exposure during my pregnancy?
Do my medications, blood pressure, hydration, or pregnancy history change the risk?
Which warning symptoms require urgent care?
When can I resume sauna use after delivery, based on my recovery?

If you become overheated

Leave the heat and move to a cooler environment. Seek prompt medical advice for fainting, confusion, chest pain, severe headache, persistent dizziness, or any pregnancy symptom that concerns you. In an emergency, use local emergency services.

FAQ

Can I use a sauna during pregnancy?

ACOG advises that it is best not to use a sauna or hot tub early in pregnancy. Ask your clinician for guidance specific to you.

Is an infrared sauna safer?

It has not been established as a safer pregnancy option. Lower air temperature is not enough to determine risk.

Is there a safe number of minutes?

This guide does not provide a universal limit. Individual heat response and pregnancy risk differ, so use clinician guidance.