Food & lifestyle

Can you take a hot bath while pregnant?

Checked against the sources listed on this page. Not reviewed by a clinician. Last updated 5 November 2026. How we check.

Partly true

Warm baths are fine. Avoid hot tubs, saunas and very hot baths that raise your core temperature, especially in the first trimester.

Getting overheated or feverish in early pregnancy has been linked to a higher risk of neural tube defects. A comfortably warm bath is not the concern.

References

  1. Moretti ME et al. Maternal hyperthermia and the risk for neural tube defects. Epidemiology, 2005

Related weeks

Week 5

More food & lifestyle myths

Myth

Do you need to eat for two when pregnant?

No. The NHS says there’s no need to “eat for 2”. US guidance suggests no extra calories in the first trimester, about 340 extra a day in the second, and about 450 in the third.

 Myth

Do you have to give up coffee completely during pregnancy?

Not necessarily. Most guidelines say up to 200 mg of caffeine a day, about one or two cups of coffee, is acceptable.

 Myth

Should you avoid fish when pregnant?

No. 2–3 servings a week of low-mercury fish are recommended. Just avoid the high-mercury ones.