As a pregnant woman, you want to take every precaution to ensure the health and safety of your unborn baby. However, it can be easy to forget about some seemingly basic health and safety tips. Sunburn is one of those tips – and the risks it poses during pregnancy, especially during the third trimester, are often under-discussed. Sunburn is not only uncomfortable, but it can have serious implications for the health of your baby, as well as your own health. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the risks associated with sunburn during pregnancy, particularly during the third trimester, as well as tips for avoiding sunburn and taking care of yourself if you do get burned.
Q: How Do You Heal a Sunburn During Pregnancy?
A: Despite taking safety precautions, we can’t always fully shield ourselves from sunburn. Fortunately, there are lots of products available to soothe discomfort and heal sunburned skin. Unfortunately, they aren’t all safe for pregnant women to use. For example, products that contain lidocaine should be avoided.
To treat your sunburn, choose aloe vera gel or oil instead. I advise storing it in the refrigerator until you require it so that you can apply it and experience even more cooling relief.
To safely relieve your sunburn, take a cool bath or shower. To relieve their itchy, inflamed skin, some people swear by adding a little apple cider vinegar to the bathwater.
If you notice your anxiety level rising due to worries that the burn has affected your baby, try to stay calm by taking deep breaths. The majority of sunburns are only superficial, and they are unlikely to have a negative impact on the health of your baby.
Q: Can a Sunburn During Pregnancy Affect an Unborn Baby?
A: Yes, but only in rare circumstances. Pregnant women must worry about their own health and safety, but many are more concerned about how a sunburn might harm a developing child. Unfortunately, it can have some effects.
First, getting too much sun can lead to dehydration. Pregnant women are particularly at risk because dehydration can result in preterm labor contractions. Regardless of concerns about the sun, you should make sure to drink plenty of water during the summer to stay hydrated!
Second, folic acid, which is crucial for a developing foetus’s health and development, is known to be broken down by UV rays. Specifically, folic acid helps to prevent birth defects. Due to this, it is especially risky for a pregnant woman to overexpose to the sun during the first 12 weeks of her pregnancy.
Go for sunscreen lotions, not sprays
Sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher offers the best protection against sunburn. You can spend time in the sun as long as you have sunscreen that is appropriate for your skin. Always test applying the sunscreen for a patch of skin. The sensitive skin of pregnant women can be avoided by testing sunscreen in advance.
Sunscreen consists of titanium dioxide to filter the UV rays. There is a high likelihood that you will inhale titanium dioxide if you use sprays. So, lotions are significantly safer compared to sprays. Apply it evenly to the exposed skin before going outside.