Tanning
and Pregnancy
Ultraviolet
is an electromagnetic radiation found in sunshine and some artificial light
sources including tanning beds. This form of ultraviolet radiation is not
strong enough to penetrate the uterus and there has been no documentation of
developmental toxicity related to this form of electromagnetic energy. As
with any mechanism which elevates body temperature during pregnancy, there is
concern for a possible risk for hyperthermic effects. It is recommended
that pregnant women not raise their body temperature above 38.9°C
(102°F). Thus the general recommendation is that pregnant women refrain
from using hot tubs, saunas, and tanning beds. If these facilities were to
be used, it is recommended that a woman limit her time of exposure. For
example, she should spend only 15 minutes in 39°C water in a hot tub.
In a letter to the
editor in the American Journal of Medical Genetics, a physician reported
3 unrelated patients who gave birth to infants with neural tube defects who
reported use of tanning beds early in pregnancy. All 3 mothers were
reportedly young, healthy, non-diabetic, and reported no additional
exposures. Although this observation does not demonstrate that the use of
such equipment increases the risk of neural tube defects, a hyperthermic effect
can not be ruled out. Heat-related neural tube defects have been widely
demonstrated and data exists suggesting that there is an increased risk for a
neural tube defect in offspring of women exposed to heat in the form of hot
tubs, saunas, and fevers in early pregnancy.