Busting Sauna Myths: A Deep Dive into Safe Preconception & Pregnancy Practices

Written By Anisa Woodall, MS CN

If you’re wondering...

  • Is it safe to use the sauna when trying to conceive?

  • How does sauna use affect hormone balance and fertility?

  • Can I continue using the sauna once I get pregnant?

  • Are there specific precautions or guidelines for sauna use during preconception/pregnancy?

  • Are the benefits worth the risks?

then this episode is a must-listen.

Join me in this episode as we uncover the fascinating ways that sauna bathing can support you on your journey towards optimizing hormone health, fertility, and pregnancy. I'll be sharing not only the science-backed benefits but also sharing my own personal experience of using the sauna throughout both my preconception and pregnancy experiences while addressing popular questions and concerns about sauna use throughout the motherhood transition.

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    Podcast transcript

    1: The benefits of sauna use for preconception and pregnancy

    First of all, I want to give credit where credit is due- many of the research papers that I found sharing the benefits that I’ll be sharing, I found on Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s Sauna Page which I’m linking here in the show notes. So many of these findings are thanks to her research.

    If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of sauna use beyond this topic, I’d highly encourage checking out Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s page.

    Detoxification

    One of the most widely promoted benefits of sauna use, is it benefits towards detoxification.

    And prioritizing detoxification is particularly critical in the preconception phase of your motherhood journey. As I share in more detail in my episode “Do you need to ‘Do a detox’ before getting pregnant?”

    Many hormone-disrupting compounds like BPA, phthalates, PCBs and more bioaccumulate in the fat tissue and in pregnancy, you will mobilize body fat to fuel the growth of your baby. The unfortunate reality is that whatever stored toxins mobilized in pregnancy will release into your system and can cross the placenta and be shared with your baby. Not something you want to happen if you have any control over it, right?!

    And once your baby is born you’ll be nourishing him or her with your magic milk- it’s SO important to ensure that your milk is ALL magic because as some people say, breastfeeding is like liposuction so again, what’s stored in your fat tissue will eventually be shared with baby.

    But here’s the good news:

    Our skin is our largest detox organ and it’s primary mode of detox is through sweating. Sauna-induced sweating isn't just about releasing water; it's your body's way of saying goodbye to certain toxicants. As I teach more extensively in my Resilient Motherhood course, sauna use can be an effective way to eliminate endocrine disrupting compounds like BPA, phthalates, PCBs and more. Imagine it like a deep cleanse – sauna sessions also contribute to the excretion of heavy metals that might be lingering.

    Not only does your hormonal health thrive in a detoxified environment but you’ll also be setting your future baby up for as much success as possible. Now of course, sweating is only one-mode of supporting your detox systems and in my Resilient Motherhood Course I elaborate in detail exactly how you can nourish your detox systems through eating the right foods, lowering your toxic burden and optimizing your elimination routes.

    From everyday exposures to heavy metals, sauna use becomes a wellness practice that goes beyond the surface. It's about creating a detox pathway that supports your hormonal balance.

    But sweating isn’t the only benefit of using the sauna...

    Insulin and Glucose Balance

    When it comes to hormone health, fertility, and pregnancy, your insulin and glucose balance is the FOUNDATION for optimal wellness and healthy outcomes. Now of course eating the right amount of carbohydrates for YOUR body and YOUR activity level is also critical (this is something I can help you figure out in my private coaching), but as I’m always sharing with my clients, you want to set up your internal environment to support glucose tolerance- what I call carb resilience. One of the ways you can do that is through using the sauna.

    Sauna sessions have a unique way of lowering fasting blood glucose levels, promoting better insulin sensitivity. Imagine it like a workout for your insulin response – a toned-up system that's ready to keep your glucose in check with every meal.

    If you’re dealing with insulin resistance, often present to some degree among women with carbohydrate cravings, fatigue, PCOS or a history of Gestational Diabetes, sauna therapy could be a game-changer, helping your body re-sensitize to insulin and maintain that crucial glucose balance.

    Muscle Mass Maintenance

    Hormones and muscles have a dynamic relationship. Sauna-induced heat acclimation isn't just about a relaxing experience; it's your secret weapon for maintaining muscle mass. And the more you build and maintain muscle mass, the more resources you have on tap to build your baby. I’ll be talking more about the importance of muscle mass for hormones and fertility in a future episode so be sure to hit subscribe and get on my email list to stay in the know.

    So think of sauna as a fitness ally that helps build cardiovascular stamina, balance protein synthesis and degradation, crucial for muscle health. Especially for those recovering from injuries, sauna use may tip the scales towards protein synthesis, aiding in muscle recovery or for those of you who are pregnant and have a higher protein requirement. This isn't just about sweating it out; it's about supporting your muscles on a cellular level that has implications for every body system.

    Depression and Inflammation

    Another important benefit of sauna use- particularly pertaining to women on their preconception and pregnancy journeys- is it’s effects on inflammation and depression.

    Hormones, mood and inflammation can be tightly linked. People experiencing depression often show increased markers of inflammation. Persistent activation of the body's inflammatory response system- commonly present among women with PCOS, Endometriosis, period cramps, PMS, hypothyroid, IBS, or other autoimmune conditions- not only contributes to the emergence of depressive symptoms but also triggers alterations in brain function and the neuroendocrine system- essentially impacting the way your brain communicates with your hormone centers, all the hormones necessary for optimal fertility and a healthy pregnancy.

    Sauna use has shown remarkable effects on reducing symptoms of depression specifically by tackling inflammation. One well-designed study showed that sauna use had an acute antidepressant effect that lasted for 6 weeks after a single treatment.

    Imagine it like a calming retreat for your body – sauna sessions could be a powerful tool in finding inner peace and hormonal vitality; it's about creating an environment where your hormones can find balance, potentially impacting your mood positively.

    Producing endorphins

    Another element influencing the mental and cognitive impact of sauna use could be linked your body’s opioid system. Research indicates that the 'feel-good' response to exercise is, in part, attributed to beta-endorphinsand these endogenous opioids- meaning they’re produced within your body- are integral to the body's natural pain relief mechanism. Engaging in sauna sessions leads to substantial boosts in beta-endorphin levels.

    Alleviating discomforts

    Interestingly, the body also produces an opioid called dynorphin, which is generally responsible for dysphoria, a profound sense of unease or dissatisfaction. This is likely one of the contributors to that feeling you get after you’re in the sauna for a while and you start getting really uncomfortable, the same opioid is released during exercise too.

    You’re probably thinking: wait why would getting uncomfortable be helpful in alleviating discomforts? But here’s the fascinating part!: releasing this opioid sensitize you to endorphin and future endorphin exposure. This can have implications for your mental wellbeing, but also for pain relief.

    This may be one of the reasons why sauna bathing can help alleviate common discomforts of pregnancy, offering potential relief from symptoms like nausea and back pain.

    Training Resiliency through Heat stress

    And this is something I like to call “Resiliency Training” or what is known in the scientific community as the concept of hormesis.

    Hormetic Stress is essentially the concept of What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

    Hormesis is the idea that small doses of a stressor can actually promote positive physiological adaptations and be beneficial to an organism, resulting in improved health and resilience.

    Exercise, sauna, cold-plunging, and eating anti-oxidant rich foods are all ways our bodies can benefit from hormesis.

    When I share with people that I birthed my babies at home (of course, without external painkillers) they often say, “How do you do it? I could never!!”

    But here’s the thing: I’M NOT SPECIAL.
    And yes, despite what you may think, YOU CAN TOO.


    Some women choose freebirth without training and, if dedicated enough, will find the strength within them.


    But in my honest experience, your *perception* of the experience can be significantly impacted when you train your mental resiliency in advance


    *cue scenes from every movie and TV show of women blaming their husbands for getting them pregnant, “why did you do this to me!😵”*


    Before listening today, you probably knew that sauna has its benefits when it comes to detox, But as it relates to preparing for motherhood, there are still not enough people talking about the benefits it has for mental toughness and building mental resiliency.


    When you prepare to become a resilient mother, this prepares you for the entire transition providing you a higher tolerance threshold for struggle and a more positive mindset of “I can get through anything” that is so essential especially for some of the harder parts of new motherhood.

    Now ONE final benefit before we get into how to safely use the sauna during your motherhood transition.

    Benefits of Sauna Therapy for Postpartum Wellness

    I know this episode is addressing primarily preconception and pregnancy but I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t mention the benefits of using the sauna for postpartum wellness. Particularly in the early days postpartum, when you may be feeling touched out and craving time to yourself but you’re not quite ready to be using exercise as your primary self-care activity of choice yet, sauna can be a wonderful way to:

    • replenish your internal heat that has been lost since giving birth

    • to support a healthy postpartum mood (and ideally prevent/manage postpartum depression)

    • and to give you some nourishing solo self-care time.

    I personally would use the sauna while my baby napped, while a friend visited or after he went to sleep. Once I was not going to sleep with my baby as often, my husband and I would often go in together and it continues to be a wonderful opportunity to connect 1 on 1 screen-free, these are moments you often need to intentionally incorporate into your days preventatively, both for the wellbeing of your marriage but also for your own wellbeing.

    I want to take a break for a moment to tell you about something I think you might be interested in.


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    Now back to the episode!


    Okay so now that you know the WHY let’s get into the HOW and some of the common questions I get on this topic.

    1: Preconception Sauna Bathing (5 minutes)

    Is sauna bathing safe when trying to conceive naturally? Are there specific precautions or guidelines for sauna use during preconception?

    One study from the American Journal of Medicine, concluded that Sauna bathing does not negatively influence fertility and is safe during uncomplicated pregnancies in healthy women.

    With this in mind, generally for women, I recommend my clients begin sweating as soon as possible, focusing on antioxidant support during this time to ensure you are effectively eradicating what is being mobilized. This is something I also cover extensively in my course Resilient Motherhood.

    I personally used the sauna 3-4x/week for the 7 years leading up to conception. Of course that amount may not be needed but it was a part of my lifestyle by the time we were ready to start our family.

    What about for men? How does sauna use impact male fertility?

    For our male listeners out there, it's crucial to consider the impact of heat exposure on sperm and fertility. Although sauna can be extremely beneficial for all the reasons I just shared, if you are within 3 months of TTC, it may be important to discontinue or limit your sauna use.

    Although using a small population size, a study involving 10 healthy men who regularly enjoyed two 15-minute sauna sessions per week at temperatures ranging from 80°C to 90°C (176°F to 194°F) over three months showed temporary reductions in sperm counts and motility.

    The good news? These measures bounced back to normal within six months of discontinuing sauna use. So, gentlemen, if you're on the preconception journey with your partner and within 3 months of conception, lessening or completely eliminating sauna sessions might be a wise consideration for optimal fertility.

    My recommendations for my male clients: Sweat as much as possible up to 6 months prior to conception but STOP SAUNA USE within 3-6 months of conception.

    And again, maintain antioxidant support throughout.

    In case you’re wondering, my husband discontinued using the sauna within 3 months of conceiving and we had no issues.

    Maybe you’ve been struggling to conceive for a while and you suspect that sauna use would be helpful, you can always take a break, take 6 months to dedicate to achieving optimal health then go into it even healthier than before.

    As this is a podcast, I’m sharing general recommendations but if you’d like personalized guidance, I’d be happy to work with you!

    2: Pregnancy and Sauna Bathing

    Addressing Popular Questions:

    Is it safe to use saunas during pregnancy?

    So this is probably the most popular question I get.

    I too was asking this question when I was preparing for my own motherhood journey. Of course you want to do what’s best for you and your baby! So it’s a natural question to ask especially because it is so discouraged.

    I like to address this topic in the same way I approach other controversial health topics: ask questions, consider the science, explore what the “experts” have to say, observe what various cultures have been doing over generations, and ultimately- tune in to my own intuition. Does it feel right to me? Knowing what I know now- what do I feel is the right decision for my body?

    And this is something I encourage my clients to do as well on every part of their motherhood journeys!

    First of all there is fairly limited scientific data on the use of sauna bathing by pregnant women, for perhaps obvious reasons: It’s not really ethical to run experiments on pregnant women, although there are currently many other unsupervised experiments being run on pregnant women every day, if you know what I mean. Not a rabbit hole I want to go down right now though.

    But the short answer is Yes, the totality of the evidence suggests (and my own personal experience confirms) that sauna use is safe for the majority of pregnancies. Keep listening for when it may not be safe to sauna during pregnancy.

    What are the potential risks or benefits of sauna use for the developing fetus?

    There are claims that sauna baths during the first two months of pregnancy could lead to central nervous system defects like anencephaly and spina bifida. But here's the truth – in Finland, where a whopping 95 to 99% of pregnant women enjoy saunas weekly or more, the incidence of these defects is lower than anywhere else in the world!

    Think about it. In regions with high anencephaly rates, like Belfast and Dublin, women aren't soaking in saunas any more frequently than in other areas.

    No link was found between maternal sauna bathing and the most common birth defects, including cardiovascular malformations. We're talking about real-deal studies over three years, with around 500 cases and 1000 healthy control babies.

    In this 2006 study titled “Health effects and risks of sauna bathing”, the authors concluded that sauna bathing during pregnancy, when uncomplicated, neither harms the fetus nor poses risks to the mother.

    Here’s what the authors report:

    “To our knowledge, experimental studies on the effects of sauna bathing on pregnant women and their fetuses have only been carried out in Finland. Two groups of pregnant (early and late stage) women were acutely exposed to sauna-like heat, as were 15 non-pregnant control women. In both pregnant and control women, the rectal temperature rose by approximately 0.3 to 0.5°C (about 0.54 to 0.9°F) during the exposure, which is not enough to reach the supposed teratogenic level of 38.9°C (102°F). Simultaneously, the skin temperature rose by about 5°C (about 9°F). In pregnant women, no changes were found in umbilical artery blood flow. All deliveries took place at the estimated time, and the newborn infants were all in good condition at delivery. Thus, during uncomplicated pregnancies, sauna baths neither seem to harm the fetus, nor are they dangerous to the mother”

    The authors warn however, that in cases where women were experiencing toxemia, also known as preeclampsia, there was increased resistance to blood flow in the uterine artery when exposed to sauna-like thermal challenges. This phenomenon was not observed in the control group without such conditions. In cases of severe preeclampsia, where fetal compensation mechanisms may already be operating at their maximum at room temperature, exposure to heat might compromise the availability of oxygen to the fetus. So as a precaution, pregnant mothers dealing with preeclampsia are advised to refrain from sauna bathing.

    Are there specific trimesters where sauna use is safer or riskier?

    Organogensis, or the development of organs, begins somewhere around 2 months into pregnancy. If you’re still concerned that heat exposure may result in defects, you may consider discontinuing sauna use then gradually reintroducing it after the first two months of pregnancy.

    But again, I will share that I continued to sauna at least 2 times a week during both of my pregnancies with no issue. And I’ll remind that, of the available evidence, the use of sauna in pregnancy appears to be rather safe.

    3: Safety Considerations and Recommendations

    How to safely use the sauna in pregnancy:

    First and foremost, listen to your body.

    Adjusting Sauna Practices:

    • You may consider shortening your sauna sessions and/or reducing the temperature depending on how you’re feeling.

    • I intuitively went from using the sauna for around 1 hour in preconception (doing a cold plunge at the half way mark) to using the sauna for a single 30 minute period, followed and ending with a cold plunge (or if I was lucky, a dive in the snow).

    Maintaining stable body temperature during sauna exposure is crucial for pregnant women to prevent potential risks, emphasizing the importance of not reaching a teratogenic level. In my experience, the only way you reach that level is by not listening to your body and challenging yourself too much. Get out when you start to feel too uncomfortable and feel free to step outside to cool off if you need to and keep a cold drink in the sauna with you. You know your body best.

    Avoid alcohol use in the sauna (and throughout pregnancy)

    I hope this goes without saying but - especially because sauna and alcohol are combined in some cultural traditions- I wouldn’t recommend doing so during pregnancy as alcohol depletes essential detox nutrients and detracts from detoxifying mobilized toxins. Beyond that alcohol consumption during pregnancy can have negative effects, so it’s best to steer clear.

    HYDRATE optimally

    I’m going to tell you a story of dehydration that might scare some of you but it has a good ending, I promise.

    There was one time, I was around 8 months pregnant with my second baby. I had put my 3 year old to sleep and stepped out for a sauna. Unfortunately, he woke up while I was in there so I quickly ran back in to comfort him back to sleep in my sweaty robe, gross!

    But here’s the thing. In my haste to get back in, I overlooked properly hydrating myself afterward like I normally would. With all my previous sauna sessions I would fill a 32 oz jar of water and 1 packet of LMNT electrolyte mix but this time I forgot to do it on the front end and told myself I would get some when I came in.

    But laying with my son was so cozy so, like I usually do, I fell asleep with him which meant that I didn’t rehydrate. I knew this in the back of my mind but thought “one time” would be okay.

    Well, I woke at 2 am with some strong uterine cramps- what some might label preterm contractions. Instead of freaking out, I immediately got up and made myself a big jar of LMNT and within 15 minutes the cramping was completely gone. When you learn how to interpret your body’s signals you can go from scared to confident, making calculated and intentional decisions instead of making decisions based on fear.

    Now of course there are other ways to get electrolytes and minerals in, but LMNT was an easy and effective way to stay hydrated. Plus I love their mint chocolate salt flavors in the wintertime, I’ve shared my affiliate link in the notes if you’re interested in checking them out.

    What kinds of saunas are best?

    If we’re looking specifically for the benefits that I mentioned in this episode, both types: infrared and dry heat work great.

    Based on my understanding, it may require more time in an infrared sauna to experience the same heat stress compared to using a dry sauna.

    Now of course infrared has other benefits that I won’t get into today but I usually just try to get mine from the sun or if I need to use it for specific treatment, we have a red light that provides infrared as well.

    What kind of sauna do I use?

    I initially began using sauna therapy when I was undergoing holistic treatment for Lyme disease and at the time, we were broke college students but we still managed to invest some of our savings into purchasing what was at the time a $1000 personal portable infrared sauna, the kind that has. a chair, footrests and a spacesuit with your head sticking out and some zips for your hands so you can read a book. This was over 10 years ago so now you can find the same type of sauna for just over $200 on amazon (I’ve linked one in the show notes, and I’ll also include a photo of me using it so you can see what it looks like).

    Now after using that sauna for 7 years (both of us using it at least 2 times a week) we decided it was worth making the investment so after we purchased our first home, on Black Friday a few years ago, we bought a cedar barrel sauna kit from Almost Heaven Saunas- I’ve included a link in the show notes but it’s not an affiliate link or anything. We paid close to $5000 - a lot I know but it continues to get regular use and we prioritize making investments in our health. We are firm believers that you either invest now or pay later when it comes to your health and wellness. I will share however, that my husband says if we could go back and do it again, he would want a taller/rectangular sauna rather than the 6' barrel sauna though because he can’t stand up in it and we can’t really do any yoga in it easily.

    Closing

    I would love to hear your thoughts, questions, or personal experiences with sauna bathing during preconception and pregnancy!

    Head over to my instagram @anisawoodallnutrition and comment on the post for this episode or sent me a DM! If you found this episode helpful and can think of at least 1 person who could benefit from it, please share the episode or share one of my related instagram posts with them!

    Like I said before, sauna use- although a powerful tool, is just one strategy on your journey to achieving optimal hormone health.

    If you’re ready to take the next step, to holistically restore your hormone health and fertility from the inside out then I’m ready to work with you.

    • If you’re not yet ready to conceive or you’re done having kids but you want to improve your hormone vitality- improve energy, skyrocket your libido, and optimize your metabolism without feeling restricted, please check out my Revitalize & Restore 1:1 private coaching for hormone harmony.

    • If you’re within 2 years of conceiving your first or next child, then please check out my Resilient Motherhood: A self-paced guide to preparing for conception and beyond⁠ (Signature Course and Coaching program) for those preparing for conception - where I’ll help you achieve your dream of motherhood, giving birth to a healthy baby while maintaining our health along the way. In this step-by-step program, you'll learn how to interpret your body's fertility signals, formulate your unique, optimal preconception mindset, diet and lifestyle, and find clarity among diet dogma and supplement overload.

    • If you’re already pregnant and you like my approach to navigating the many questions that can come up in pregnancy, check out my Bloom & Nourish coaching program for private pregnancy nutrition coaching.

    • And at whatever stage you’re in you’ll love my Seasonal Meal Plan Membership- join and access my Winter Solstice 28-Day meal plan today and get a new meal plan at the start of each season!

    Alright, thank you for listening! I hope that I answered your biggest questions on this topic but if I didn’t, I’d love to hear from you!

    Happy sweating and tag me @anisawoodallnutrition in your next sauna post ;)

    Anisa Woodall, MS CN
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