Is hot yoga safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about hot yoga during pregnancy?

1. Long hot tub soaks, saunas, and hard exercise can all raise your body temperature enough to cause hyperthermia, and a heated yoga room adds up the same way. 1
2. Getting overheated in the first six weeks of pregnancy has been linked in research reviews to roughly double the usual chance of a neural tube defect. 2
3. Research that tracked pregnant women's real core temperature found regular workouts and brief hot-tub or sauna sessions stayed in a safe range, but those tested sessions were shorter than a full hot yoga class. 3
4. Staying active in pregnancy comes with real upsides, like a lower chance of gestational diabetes, cesarean delivery, and postpartum depression, all of which a regular-temperature class can still give you. 4
5. Regular prenatal yoga without added heat has research behind it for easing back pain, stress, and sleep trouble, and it's held up as safe even for women trying it for the first time during pregnancy. 5

Is hot yoga safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. The first trimester is when the heat rule matters most, since very early pregnancy is the window researchers link to a small rise in neural tube defect risk from overheating. This is a good time to switch to a regular-temperature studio instead of a heated one, even before you've told anyone you're pregnant.
• Second trimester. Your joints loosen up more this trimester, and a hot room makes it easier to stretch further than you realize without feeling it happen. Regular-temperature prenatal yoga still gives you the balance and breathing benefits without the extra heat load, so this is a great time to switch classes if you haven't already.
• Third trimester. Blood volume is up and your body already works harder to stay cool, so a heated room adds strain right when you can least afford it. Stick with a normal-temperature class, and stop right away if you feel dizzy, overheated, or lightheaded.