With summer around the corner, it is time to get beach ready and get a little sun-kissed glow. 

But is it safe to tan during pregnancy?

Aside from skin cancer risks, pregnant women have a number of other risks to consider if they spend too much time in the sun. 

The rest of this article explains how to tan safely when pregnant and lists the safest ways to get a glow without harming your skin and your baby’s development. 

Tanning Risks 

Below is a list of 4 potential drawbacks of tanning while pregnant:

1: Sensitive Skin

When you are pregnant, the rapidly increased level of hormones in your body causes your skin to become more susceptible to burning and skin conditions [1].

The female sex hormones – mainly estrogen and progesterone – stimulate the melanocytes to produce more melanin pigments when the skin is exposed to sun or any other type of tanning. 

Consequently, a lot of women develop chloasma during pregnancy.

Chloasma (also known as melasma or “the mask of pregnancy”) is a common skin condition that is characterized by dark brownish patches often found on the cheeks [2].

So instead of a tan, you may end up with freckles, hives, a heat rash, or worsened chloasma.    

2: Preterm Contractions

Prolonged sun exposure can drain your body from fluids and cause dehydration.

With dehydration, your blood volume decreases, which in turn increases the concentration of oxytocin – a hormone that causes uterine contractions. 

So in other words, the lack of fluids in the body could lead to excessive stress and fever, which in turn may cause early labor (prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy) and/or birth defects. 

3: Folic Acid Deficiency

The UV rays of the sun can break down folic acid in your body – an essential vitamin that your baby needs to develop a healthy nervous system [3]. 

Women who are exposed to high levels of UV radiation during their first trimesters are more likely to deliver babies with neural tube defects (known as spina bifida) and multiple sclerosis.

The most dangerous period for the baby is during organogenesis (2 to 15 weeks after conception).

4: Cancer

Pregnancy affects every system in your body. 

Changes in hormone levels and immune system function can make you more vulnerable to infections and serious complications.

You can see now why the risk of developing skin cancer (known as melanoma) is on the rise when you are pregnant if you do not take precautions.

3 Ways To Bronze Safely During Pregnancy

So how can you bronze your skin during pregnancy? 

Here are some suggestions on how to protect yourself and your unborn baby from too much sun exposure.

1: Cover Your Baby Bump

Wearing a one-piece maternity bathing suit is ideal to protect your bump from sun rays. 

Too much exposure to the sun’s UV rays can cause your pregnancy line (known as linea nigra) to darken, and your belly to sunburn. 

Overheating is associated with spinal malformations in the baby. 

So covering the belly prevents overheating of the body and heat strokes. 

Remember to protect your breasts too, as the heat could dilate the capillaries and the ducts through which the milk will pass, increasing the risk of congestion in this very delicate area.  

2: Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is very important while pregnant. 

Drink plenty of water to keep your body cool and prevent overheating. 

Another way to keep your body cool is to take a dip into the water. 

The water will provide immediate relief from the heat. 

During the last trimester of pregnancy, your legs swell and become heavier. 

Therefore, go for walks in the water to reduce swelling in your legs and feet and to refresh you and make you feel lighter.    

3: Choose The Right Sunscreen

Sunscreens are the best options to protect your skin from the sun. 

However, some sunscreens contain oxybenzone, a dangerous chemical that absorbs into the skin and ends up in the bloodstream.  

Oxybenzone can disrupt your body’s hormones, which can lead to developmental problems and low birth weights in newborn babies. 

Consequently, you should avoid any product that contains oxybenzone, and apply sunscreen lotions at least every two hours instead of sprays to make sure that you don’t miss a spot. 

Relax and Enjoy Summer Days

You don’t have to stay indoors when you are pregnant. On the contrary, sun exposure is beneficial because it makes your body produce Vitamin D, which is essential for strengthening your bones.

However, remember to avoid sunburn, dehydration, and fatigue. 

The most important thing is to relax and have extra care to protect your skin and your unborn baby. 

References:

[1]. Danielsson, Krissi. “Low Folic Acid Levels and Miscarriage Risk.” Very Well Family, 2020, https://www.verywellfamily.com/do-low-folic-acid-levels-cause-miscarriage-2371735.

[2]. Herndon, Jaime. “Melasma.” Healthline, 2019, https://www.healthline.com/health/melasma#_noHeaderPrefixedContent.

[3]. Weiss, Robin. “How Does Skin Change During Pregnancy?” Very Well Family, 2020, https://www.verywellfamily.com/skin-changes-in-pregnancy-p2-2759974.

 This is a wholly personal decision. There is no right and wrong answer to whether you should tell anyone about your journey.

However, it’s high time we break the taboo of infertility and divulge more information about the journey of IVF and the way it makes you feel. 

When going through IVF, many women don’t reveal to even close friends they are undergoing fertility treatments. 

First, the silence results from feeling stressed and overwhelmed to find out if you are going to be pregnant after all the injections and uncertainty.  

Second, you may feel inferior and ashamed of your situation – as if your body has failed you – so it becomes very natural for you to put up walls of protection. 

It is like you become a member of an underground club, and it’s only when you open up that others may also reveal their membership!

Staying isolated during the process of IVF isn’t always the best decision.

Therefore, considering the pros and cons of telling people can help you make the best choice. 

Why Tell People You’re Doing IVF

• Telling people you are doing IVF may stop them from pressuring you. You can just be open and honest when people ask, “when are you going to have kids”. Say that you are trying but having problems. They will probably be more understanding and sensitive around you – especially when you are having a bad day. 

• IVF is a tough experience for both you and your partner. It is not always easy relying solely on your husband to talk about grieves and emotions. Sharing your infertility journey with your friends may take a lot of pressure off your husband, especially when he’s too busy or away. 

• Another benefit of sharing is you’ll give the closest people to you an opportunity to show that they understand, care, and support you. It might be nice having someone to confide in, attend appointments with, and help with injections, or a shoulder to cry on when feeling down after a negative pregnancy test. Read our article for more information on How To Deal With Disappointment After a Negative Pregnancy Test.  

• It is also essential to find support from someone outside of the IVF process who is ready to listen to you, and distract you with a film, ice cream, and different topics of conversation to light up your mood and ease your struggles. 

• Telling your friends you are doing IVF can help when potentially uncomfortable situations arise such as baby showers, drinking parties, taking days off from work. You can turn invitations down or leave work half way through the day without worrying about inappropriate comments.

Why Keep Your Treatment A Secret

• You may not want to share your story with others because you don’t want to be pitied.

• You just don’t want to be the huge elephant in a room, where everybody is afraid to talk about. Some friends may even feel afraid to tell you anything about their pregnancy or new babies and you don’t want to make them feel uncomfortable. 

• You don’t want anyone asking you how things have gone as soon as you’ve embarked on your fertility journey, especially if it’s not good news. You might prefer to avoid the hassle of being judged. 

• You feel resentful that other people get pregnant with no effort while you are having infertility problems. So opening the subject alone is emotionally difficult. 

• You don’t want to deal with people’s lack of understanding and inappropriate comments. Some people don’t even agree with the whole concept of IVF and don’t know how to handle these subjects in a sensitive way.

Help Break the taboo Around IVF

Having trouble trying to conceive and turning to alternative ways to get pregnant, like IVF is nothing to be ashamed of.

You should have no reason to be concerned what other people think.

Instead, remember that the moment you get to hold your beautiful baby in your arms, it won’t matter how he or she got here.

Your baby will not be any different because you needed help to conceive.

But YOU will be different; a bit braver, stronger, and more grateful! 

By being open about your fertility issues, you are helping open the door for someone else to talk about their fertility issues.

Remember that you are not alone walking this path, so be open and honest about the work you are doing to become a parent.

Your journey can spread hope and positivity to a lot of couples struggling in silence. 

Whatever You Decide: Find The Support You Need

Friends or family may not completely understand your experience, but most of them have struggled in life, which is enough to show care and support on some levels. 

If you don’t feel you can talk to friends or family, there are plenty of mobile applications, online forums, and communities that can offer some of the best support.

People on those platforms understand fully what you are going through.  

You can even reach out to a counselor or a fertility specialist (even “Me” if you feel comfortable to).

Whatever you decide, you do not need to deal with things alone, and always remember that IVF is nothing to be ashamed of! 

References:

Planned Parenthood. “What is IVF?” PlannedParenthood, 

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/pregnancy/fertility-treatments/what-ivf.

If you are trying to conceive, undergoing fertility treatments, or are already pregnant, you may be wondering whether you should take the covid-19 vaccine or not. 

Unfortunately, there was a widely spread myth that the covid-19 vaccine would cause infertility. 

This article debunks the falseness of this belief among many women to help you make an informed decision. 

The Truth Behind The Myth

While many people are aware that the coronavirus is real, there are others who believe the virus is nothing more than another strain of the flu.

Perhaps because they don’t personally know anyone who has died as a result of the virus, so “it can’t be that bad”!

The myth about the coronavirus causing infertility started when conspiracy theories attracted a worldwide following on social media, and because of a fictional series called Utopia.

A large number of healthcare workers have hesitated to take the covid-19 vaccine.

Many of those people used social media to create conspiracy theories against the vaccine. 

One of their concerns was the impact of the vaccine on a protein called syncytin-1, which has some small genetic similarities to the coronavirus spike protein. 

Syncytin-1 is involved in the formation of the placenta – the organ that develops in the uterus during pregnancy to provide oxygen and nutrients to the growing baby. 

Misconception 1: the vaccine might trigger an immune response against syncytin-1, rendering women infertile.

Response 1:  The coronavirus’s spike protein and syncytin-1 are only similar on such a tiny level. 

They actually share small stretches of the same genetic code, but not enough to make them a match. 

Think of it as two people whose phone numbers are different but share one similar digit. 

It’s not like you will dial one number to reach the other person. 

Besides, if the vaccine could trigger an immune response against the placental protein, so could an actual COVID-19 infection. 

With that being said, millions of women around the world who suffered COVID-19 over the past year are suddenly unable to have children – which is untrue!

Anti-vaccine activists also claim that our real life pandemic shares resemblance with much of the plot of a miniseries called Utopia.  

Utopia, broadcasted on Amazon Prime, tells the story of a scientist who aims to depopulate the earth with a pandemic. 

The drugmaker created the illusion of a flu pandemic to convince people to get vaccinated. 

He finally reveals that the vaccine doesn’t prevent infection, but is rather designed to make people infertile in order to radically reduce the world’s population.

Misconception 2: The show’s resemblance to our real life pandemic is a reflection of what could happen if you get vaccinated. 

Response 2: According to a spokesperson for Amazon, the series is pure fiction and was written and filmed prior to the covid-19 pandemic. 

The series is based off of the 2013 British series by the same name. 

I am not certain it’s entirely responsible to release this series into the world as it is right now.

However, prior to vaccine trials, women were given pregnancy tests and were immediately excluded from the study if they were already pregnant. 

This certainly raises the question about the effect of the vaccine on pregnancy.

No wonder why many women are still reluctant about taking the covid-19 vaccine. 

Misconception 3: The vaccine alters fertility patterns and pregnancy since pregnant women were not included in the vaccine trials. 

Response 3: Although pregnant women were not included in the vaccine trials, a few dozen women who participated in the trials became pregnant, likely by accident. 

Those pregnant women continued as part of the study with no safety problems.

Although the number is small, it points to a similar rate of pregnancy among vaccinated and unvaccinated women.

Several pregnancy and fertility healthcare provider organizations recommend COVID-19 vaccination for:

• people who are trying to or planning to conceive
• patients undergoing fertility treatment
• women who are pregnant already

These include ACOG, ASRM, and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM).

Trials and common medical knowledge indicate that there are no strong safety concerns for vaccination in pregnant people.

However, you better weigh the risks and benefits of vaccination with your doctor. 

Reference:

Soygur, Bikem. “The role of syncytins in human reproduction and reproductive organ cancers.” Society For Reproduction and Fertility, vol. 152, no. 5, 2016. Reproduction, https://rep.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/rep/152/5/R167.xml.

Vineyard, Jennifer. “Gillian Flynn Knows ‘Utopia’ Has ‘Unsettling’ Covid Parallels.” NY Times, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/20/arts/television/utopia-gillian-flynn.html.

When you are trying to get pregnant, it is only natural to ask whether exercise will interfere with conception. 

Many women stop working out completely to minimize any stress on the body for fear of upsetting the fertilized egg whilst on its way to implant in the uterus. 

So is exercise safe when trying to conceive? 

Every patient is unique and everyone should keep their bodies moving in ways that are right for their conditions. 

The rest of this article expands on different types of women and explains how working out could impact fertility. 

Inactive Women

Research has claimed that women with a sedentary lifestyle have lower fertility rates. 

Therefore, sedentary women are recommended to start an exercise program at least 6 weeks before getting pregnant. 

If you don’t exercise regularly, try to introduce low to moderate activities into your daily routine.

This will help improve your fitness level and prepare your body for pregnancy. 

Walking or swimming three times a week, gardening or even running house chores are good for your body and future baby.

Active Women  

If you already work out regularly, then you don’t have to change your workouts when trying to conceive. 

However, if you are a seasoned athlete and your workout routines are very strenuous, then you need adequate nutrition in parallel.

This will help you maintain a healthy weight. 

Vigorous workouts without adequate nutrition drain your body from baby-making nutrients.

This could lead to an underweight Body Mass Index (BMI), which interferes with ovulation and irregular menstrual cycles. 

Therefore, if you are planning to get pregnant soon, stick to moderate exercise with a healthy diet. 

You will be able to get back to your high-intensity workouts after you deliver when you find the time!

It is important to listen to your body, rest whenever needed, and drink plenty of water. 

Women with PCOS

Exercise with or without weight loss is beneficial for all PCOS patients. 

Women with PCOS suffer from irregular menstrual cycles – missed periods, very light periods, or irregular periods. 

They may find themselves taking so much time to conceive because of irregular ovulation or failure to ovulate. 

Options for these patients include certain medication to induce ovulation.

Some studies have shown that regular physical activity improves hormonal balance, and regulates the menstrual cycle. 

Read our article Can You Get Pregnant with PCOS to get better insights on the subject matter.

Women with Obesity

Obesity is associated with fertility problems due to irregular menstrual cycles and miscarriages. 

Some studies show improved cycle regularity and conception with physical activities in obese women with or without weigh loss.

Regular exercise will eventually help improve your hormonal balance, insulin resistance, ovulation and conception, and will help you achieve a healthy weight. 

Maintaining a normal BMI is important before you get pregnant because pregnancy is not the best time to try and lose pounds.

Furthermore, obesity can increase the risk of complications like preeclampsia.

Women Undergoing IVF

The process of IVF can take a toll on women’s lives due to the medications, the injections, the clinic’s appointments, the egg retrieval procedure, and the recovery after. 

If you have gone down this road before, then you may have experienced most (if not all) of the hardships of IVF. 

Many women experience bloating and fatigue and are in no mood to work out. 

However, even when motivation is hard to come by, any low movement that gets your heart pumping is worth the effort.  

Aiming for a moderate exercise routine of 20-30 minutes three times a week before getting pregnant will relieve some of the pregnancy symptoms like back aches and bloating.

It will also prepare your body to bear more weight, and make the delivery of the baby go much smoother.  

Why is excessive workout contraindicated during the IVF treatment? 

Patients often wonder whether the transferred embryos can fall off the uterus if they work out or even walk after the procedure. The answer to this is NO!

In fact, exercising during IVF has no impact on implantation. 

However, the major reason that patients are asked to avoid strenuous exercises during the IVF treatment is because it can lead to ovarian torsion.

Ovarian torsion is a condition when the ovary and/or the fallopian tube twists around the ligaments that hold it in place, blocking adequate blood flow to the ovary. 

When undergoing IVF, the ovaries become enlarged with developing follicles and are at a higher risk of becoming twisted due to strenuous exercise. 

Therefore, avoid exercising the large muscles in the arms and legs that may take the blood away from the ovaries and uterus like crunches and heavy-weight lifting. 

Additionally, any fall or injury to your abdomen could compromise your reproductive health.

Keep in mind that hormones produced during pregnancy cause the ligaments that support your joints to stretch, increasing the risk of injury.  

So in order to be safe, focus on meditative exercises that encourage stress relief such as walking, yoga, pilates, light stretching, low-intensity swimming, and aerobics. 

Listen To Your Body

Keep up your normal daily physical activity for as long as you feel comfortable. 

Some exercises will become harder to do as your pregnancy progresses anyway. 

Even if you are used to exercise, it is still best to be careful not to put added pressure on the fetus. 

If you suffer from some forms of heart or lung diseases, you should cut down your workout to a moderate level to minimize the risks of complications during pregnancy. 

References:

Foucaut, Aude-Marie. “Sedentary behavior, physical inactivity and body composition in relation to idiopathic infertility among men and women.” Plos One, 2019 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0210770.

Kallen, Amanda. “The Best Types of Exercise for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).” Healthline, 2020, https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/exercise-for-pcos.

Ernst, Holly. “Preeclampsia.” Healthline, 2018, https://www.healthline.com/health/preeclampsia.