4. Exposure to high temperatures
High temperatures can have a serious negative effect on the body. When a woman is pregnant it’s even more important to take care of their health. Extremely hot temperatures caused by fever, hot tubs, baths or even a sauna can increase the chance of tube defects developing. Maternal hyperthermia has been proven to increase the chances of neural tube defects developing.
Any environment that causes or encourages transient hyperthermia may cause serious fetal harm during its development. While external heat sources and environments can be avoided, avoiding illness is not often as simple. High fever and prolonged fever during the first trimester can have a damaging effect on the development of the fetus.
Maternal fever has been documented as a common cause of neural tube defects such as anencephaly along with other birth defects. Heatstroke also poses a great risk to the fetus since the effects are cumulative. Long car trips or extended periods in the sun also increase the chances of developing anencephaly.