| Is it okay for pregnant women to tan indoors? |
| Many people are concerned about pregnant women tanning indoors because they still think that tanning rays can cook internal organs. This, in fact, is not the case. UVA with your average tanning bed penetrates about 2 mm deep (about the thickness of cardboard) into the body. UVA penetrates deeper than UVB, but neither UVA or UVB cook internal organs. One concern about pregnant women tanning is the heat. Remember that the temperature around the baby remains relatively constant at 98.6 degrees, so the baby can take a little heat, but the same amounts of heat that would cause anyone to be uncomfortable (e.g. sauna, hot tub, hot sun during the summertime) will also make the baby uncomfortable. Your tanning bed during the busy season can certainly produce enough heat to make people a little uncomfortable. It is suggested that if you allow a pregnant mother to tan that it would be during the morning hours and with a doctor's permission. |