Is It Safe to Take Cold Showers and Plunges While Pregnant?

Hello, I live in Vermont and swim in the river all winter long. The water is about 30/32 degrees Fahrenheit. There are amazing health and mental health benefits. I am currently TTC [trying to conceive] and have tried to do research on whether it is safe to continue my cold plunges. I have found other people who have continued plunging and cold showers through pregnancy, but most have stopped while TTC and in their first trimester. I am hoping to not stop. Is there any research on this? Maybe in Scandinavian countries?
—Polar Pregnancy

Wow. This is amazing. I am very, very impressed. How long are you swimming? Is it laps? I was impressed with myself for running outside when it’s cold, wearing like 15 layers. I’m just totally blown away.

Oh, sorry, you had a question.

This is not a widely researched topic, but this paper discusses it and hypothesizes that cold water swimming might actually be healthy, largely due to its role in reducing stress. At the end of the article, the authors briefly note the possible risks and conclude that they are limited. A second article, also largely theoretical, notes the possibility of risks from temperature extremes in both directions, but is clear that such risks aren’t empirically shown, and most of the evidence we do have on swimming is very positive.

The TTC period and the first trimester of pregnancy are times in which many people exercise additional caution. There are some practical reasons for this, but also some that are a bit more theoretical. More can go wrong during these periods for reasons that are completely random, but in our search for answers, we can sometimes settle on behaviors and beat ourselves up for them unnecessarily.

The data isn’t going to give you a perfect answer, but it also doesn’t give you a strong reason to be nervous about this. It’s worth thinking about your own reaction as well.