03/09/2025
You are told to take folic acid in pregnancy. But what many don’t tell you is that hot water baths, saunas, or even untreated fever can undo its protective effects and seriously harm your baby’s brain and spinal cord.
🚨 A study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that hot baths or fever can triple the risk of neural tube defects in early pregnancy.
💡 How to Protect Your Baby from Heat-Related Neural Tube Defects:
1️⃣ Treat fevers fast – high fever (>101.3°F) in the 1st trimester is risky.
2️⃣ Take antipyretics immediately if fever occurs, especially in the first 6 weeks.
3️⃣ Avoid hot baths or saunas – keep water below 37.5°C (99.5°F).
4️⃣ Skip hot water bottles on belly/back – use only warm compresses wrapped in cloth.
5️⃣ Limit warm showers/baths to 10 mins. Avoid steaming/overheating.
6️⃣ Stay cool while trying to conceive – risks start even before you know you’re pregnant.
👶 Dear mamas-to-be, the damage can begin before you even realize you are pregnant. Please avoid hot tubs, saunas, and overheating your body in the first trimester.
✨ If this is new to you, share it with your sisters, friends, and colleagues. One simple share could save a little life.
