The answer to that question is—nobody really knows for certain. After all, there has been little research on the subject of tanning for pregnant women. But there are some facts about pregnancy that expectant mothers should bear in mind before deciding to go for a tan.

Pregnant women should not risk taking part in activities that raise their body temperature significantly. Health professionals are mainly concerned, especially during the first trimester of a pregnancy, that the risks are higher for both the mother and the unborn child if their bodies overheat. That means pregnant women are advised to avoid long hot steamy baths, saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs, and yes, tanning beds, because it does get really hot inside one, especially in the last few minutes of the session.

Studies have also shown that women have more sensitive skin when they’re pregnant because of the influx of hormones. And it is not advisable for people with sensitive skin to be regularly exposed to the UV rays of a tanning bed.

If tanning, however, has become such an integral part of your routine that not even a pregnancy could stop you, you should at least take some steps that would put you and your unborn child at lesser risk. One is that pregnant women can opt for limited sessions so as not to significantly raise their body temperatures. They can also reduce the risk of stopping the blood flow by doing their tanning sessions on their sides. They can also choose to go for upright tanning beds, which leave them with a bit more room to stretch. The liberal application of lotion on skin areas which they deem sensitive is also advisable.