Yoga poses to avoid during pregnancy

What does the evidence say about yoga poses to avoid during pregnancy?

1. There are no published studies on the safety of hot (Bikram-style) yoga specifically for pregnant women and their fetuses, and a meta-analysis found pregnant women exposed to maternal hyperthermia had roughly double the risk of neural tube defects, with hot yoga classes commonly reaching 95°F to 104°F (35°C to 40°C). 1
2. Given the increased risk of neural tube defects and possibly other malformations tied to excessive heat exposure in pregnancy, practicing hot yoga is something researchers specifically advise against. 1
3. A review of guidelines from 12 professional exercise societies found that 10 of them specifically name lying flat on your back after the first trimester as a special consideration to modify. 2
4. General pregnancy exercise guidance advises against any movement carrying a high risk of falling or abdominal trauma, a category that includes unsupported balance poses and deep inversions. 3
5. A systematic review of prenatal yoga research found the evidence base too thin to specify exactly which individual poses are safe across trimesters, and recommends gentle, modified styles like Iyengar or restorative yoga over physically demanding, strength-based, or heated practice. 4

Is yoga poses to avoid safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. Most poses that felt comfortable before pregnancy are fine to continue now. Hot or heated yoga is the one style to skip from the start, since research links overheating in early pregnancy to a higher chance of certain birth defects.
• Second trimester. Guidelines commonly name lying flat on your back as a special consideration starting around now. Swap reclined or back-lying poses for seated, side-lying, or supported variations.
• Third trimester. Balance shifts quickly, so poses with a real fall risk, like unsupported standing balances or inversions, are worth skipping or doing only with a wall or prop for support. Deep twists that compress your midline are also commonly modified this late in pregnancy.