Sunbathing in pregnancy

Any kind of sunbathing may be detrimental to a woman’s health. During pregnancy, women’s bodies may also react differently to outside influences, thanks to changing hormone levels, so exposure to ultraviolet rays may not be a good idea at this time.

When pregnant, a woman’s skin often becomes sensitised. If you experience chloasma (dark patches of skin on your face), for example, this is a sign that your skin will react strongly to extra sunlight. For a lot of pregnant women, exposure to sun at this time may cause skin to burn more quickly than normal.

Ultraviolet (UV) rays are a kind of radiation found in sunlight and reproduced in sunbeds. The effects of over-exposure to these rays can be damaging. Skin may age prematurely, damage to the eyes may occur and, most seriously, the likelihood of developing skin cancer rockets.

The NHS warns that there is still no clear evidence about the effect of UV rays (especially from sunbeds) on the developing foetus, although studies have suggested a link between increased UV rays and folic acid deficiency. This is because UV rays can break down folic acid. Folic acid is crucial to the development of the baby's neural system (brain and spinal cord) in early pregnancy, and pregnant women are advised to take folic acid supplements as a safeguard against congenital defects such as spina bifida.

If you decide to use them fake tanning products, do a skin patch test first to see how your skin reacts to the lotion. Even if you have used them in the past, pregnancy can alter how your skin deals with certain products.

Although all the above information is recommended health advice, you shouldn't feel that you have to stick to it by the letter. A couple of hours spent relaxing in the sun with adequate sun protection will do a lot to relax you and probably very little to harm you.

But these days, however, it is far more fashionable not to tan rather than put yourself at risk, so console yourself with pictures of the pale and beautiful. Who wants to look like Jodie Marsh or Jordan when compared to the likes of Nicole Kidman, Scarlett Johansson and Dita Von Teese?