Monday, February 7, 2011

Is it safe to use an electric blanket during pregnancy?

It's probably fine, but there are two things you may want to think about.
First, there's the heat. There are concerns that raising your body temperature over a long period could increase the risk of miscarriage or of your baby having a birth defect. Studies on animals suggest that overheating, especially in the early months of pregnancy, may cause brain and spine defects in their offspring.
However, it's very unlikely that using a heated blanket would raise your body temperature high enough to endanger your baby. Electric blankets tend to keep you warm, rather than hot. Read our article on using hot tubs and saunas during pregnancy.
Second, you may be concerned about the electromagnetic field arising from the electricity used to heat the blanket. Some people worry about electromagnetic fields created by a whole range of products we use at work and in the home. However, there's simply not enough evidence that this type of every-day exposure poses a risk to you or your baby.
If you do decide to use an electric blanket, you may want to remove it in late pregnancy in case your waters break at the start of labour.

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