Hammam During Pregnancy: Can You Go, and Under What Conditions?

The Friday hammam with your sisters, the mother-in-law who insists on the big hammam before the birth, then the one during the nfissa, the forty-day period after giving birth… In Morocco, going to the hammam during pregnancy is a real question, not a detail. And the answers you hear around you range from "absolutely not" to "it prepares the body".

The medical reality lies somewhere in between. The hammam (the traditional steam bath) is not forbidden in itself. What causes problems is intense, prolonged heat, especially at the very start of pregnancy, along with the risk of fainting and falling. Here is what the sources say, and how to adapt your habits without giving up this moment of relaxation.

Why hammam heat is a concern during pregnancy

The real issue is hyperthermia, meaning a rise in the body's core temperature. The health authorities of British Columbia explain that a significant rise in this temperature can harm the fetus, and that the risk is greatest in the first weeks, when its organs are forming. It has been linked to neural tube defects such as spina bifida.

Yet a classic Moroccan hammam often has three or four rooms, from the warmest to the hottest, with humid steam that can approach 50 °C (Le Matin). In humid heat, sweat evaporates poorly and the body struggles to cool down. WebMD reports that about 10 minutes in a very hot bath or room is enough to reach a worrying temperature during pregnancy.

Fainting and slipping, the two other risks

Heat dilates the blood vessels in the skin. Combined with the effects of pregnancy hormones, it can reduce blood flow to the brain and cause dizziness and fainting (WebMD). Add to that sweating, which dehydrates quickly, sometimes with nausea and a feeling of disorientation.

The second risk is very concrete: a wet, soapy floor, a bump that changes your balance, buckets of water to carry. A fall onto your belly in the third trimester always warrants a medical check.

What doctors say: opinions that differ

The sources do not all say the same thing, and it is honest to acknowledge it.

• In Canada and the United States, public information does not forbid saunas and hot baths. It advises caution: keep below 38.9 °C, no more than 10 minutes in a very hot bath and 15 minutes in a sauna, have someone with you and get out at the slightest sign of discomfort (HealthLinkBC). For WebMD, after the first trimester the risk is no longer considered significant, provided you do not overdo it.
• In Morocco, a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology in Casablanca interviewed by La Vie éco advises against the hammam and sauna, especially in late pregnancy, and warns against any prolonged stay in the heat. Pregnancy is also among the contraindications listed by Le Matin.

Why the difference? The North American documents are about saunas and baths at a controlled temperature, often brief. The traditional hammam, on the other hand, is a long session, in steam whose exact temperature nobody knows. The common-sense rule that follows: the earlier you are in pregnancy, the hotter the room and the longer the session, the more you should hold back.

Hammam while pregnant: our guide, trimester by trimester

Scrubs and black soap: what about hammam treatments?

The glove scrub (kessa) is still possible, gently. During pregnancy, the skin becomes more fragile and more sensitive to the sun, with a risk of brown patches on the face, the "mask of pregnancy" (La Vie éco). Rub less hard, especially on the belly and breasts, and moisturise afterwards with a neutral oil or cream. No cream is guaranteed to prevent stretch marks, though, as our article on stretch marks in pregnancy explains.

To relieve heavy legs or back pain without heat, there are other options: legs raised, walking, cool water on the calves. They are detailed in our guide to the minor ailments of pregnancy. And to stay in shape, swimming or aqua aerobics in moderately warm water are good alternatives (see exercise and pregnancy).

From the shop

Taking care of yourself, while pregnant and after the birth

A few simple products for gentle washing during pregnancy and the postnatal period, instead of long sessions in the heat.

• −48 %Bio-OilFace and body skincare oil, 60 ml – Bio-Oil31 DHinstead of 60 DHView product
• −21 %DoomooFlowly postpartum and period underwear, Black, L/XL/2XL – Doomoo355 DHinstead of 450 DHView product
• The whole aisle · Mum’s hygiene8 products online, delivered anywhere in Morocco.Open the aisle

Products sold by La Maison du Bébé, publisher of this magazine. Prices as of 12 October 2026; please check the product page.

The hammam after giving birth: when can you go back?

In many families, the hammam is part of the nfissa rituals. It is a respectable tradition, but a body that has just given birth has its own timetable.

The bleeding that follows the birth, called lochia, generally lasts three to six weeks (INSPQ), sometimes up to six weeks on and off (Naître et grandir). During this time, use pads rather than tampons, which increase the risk of infection (Naître et grandir). After a tear, an episiotomy or a caesarean, the scar must also be properly healed.

Quebec sources allow showers at any time, and a bath in a clean bathtub at home after a vaginal birth; after a caesarean, a bath is only considered about five days after the operation, if the wound is healing well (INSPQ). A public hammam, very hot and shared, is another matter: there is no official waiting period. The safest approach is to wait until the bleeding has stopped and you have had your postnatal check, then ask your doctor or midwife. The stages of this period are described in our article on the postpartum weeks.

If you are breastfeeding, remember to drink plenty too: heat and sweating add to the fluid needs of breastfeeding.