Swimming in un-chlorinated pools when pregnant

[esmeonline]

I wondered if anyone has any thoughts/knowledge about the safety of swimming in a un-chlorinated pool when pregnant? I know people sometimes have reservations about chlorine but now I'm wondering if un-chlorinated is clean/hygienic enough?

I'm just over three months pregnant with my first baby and want to start swimming more regularly. I decided to book for some improver lessons. These start later this week and are due to be held in an un-chlorinated pool.

It's a quiet hotel pool so not heavily used but still?I've started to get a bit worried. I'm doing some hunting around online for info but can't find much and wondered if anyone out there had any advice?

Thanks so much.

[sb]

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[Saffron]

Agreed the water will still be disinfected, just not with chlorine. Ion filters or UV treatment might be used instead. I can't see this presenting any particular hazard in pregnancy. xx

[esmeonline]

Thanks so much both.

I had initially been quite glad that the pool was chlorine free - it just sounded gentler - but then happened to come across an article online about swimming in pregnancy where a throwaway remark was made about chlorine being safe and much less hazardous than un-chlorinated pools.

I couldn't find any other info that looked even vaguely reliable but was worried that I might be oblivious to some well known health hazard, especially as I've never been a regular swimmer or pregnant before! I've just checked the pool website and it says they use a mineral based cleaning system, so that sounds fine.

Thanks again - feel like I can look forward to the lessons now.

[juliemidwife]

i know that in the Farm community in Tennessee, which has some of the world's best birth outcomes, the women go swimming in a pond!

[Saffron]

esmeonline Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Thanks so much both.

>

> I had initially been quite glad that the pool was

> chlorine free - it just sounded gentler - but then

> happened to come across an article online about

> swimming in pregnancy where a throwaway remark was

> made about chlorine being safe and much less

> hazardous than un-chlorinated pools.

>

Do you have a link to the article? It would be interesting to know in what context the remark was made. Major competitive and university pools are sometimes cleaned with non-chlorinated methods. There are definitely safe non-chlorinated methods available. xx

[GinaG3]

Ohhhh I didn't think they existed - duh! Is Jags chlorine free? My daughter needs to try swimming in a Chlorine free pool. Sorry for the off topic post!

[sb]

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[esmeonline]

Hi Saffron, I've just tried to find it but can't, which is annoying, sorry. It was a one-liner in an article intended to address people's anxieties about chlorine. The author just wrote that chlorinated pools were safe and that non-chlorinated waters posed far more of a health risk.

It wasn't at all substantiated and I didn't know if they meant fresh water or chlorine alternatives, so I did a search (mistake!) and pulled up a list of results that included the words dysentery, blindness and lawsuits!! That's when I decided to stop googling and to ask on the forum instead!

The only thing is that while trying to find the original reference I've come across this article which says UV and Ozone alternatives should be used in conjunction with a small amount of chlorine to meet appropriate safety levels.

http://goodspaguide.co.uk/features/are-swimming-pools-without-chlorine-better-for-you#3

The pool I'm going to appears to be entirely chlorine free. I have my lesson tomorrow so will ask about all this before I swim.

[Mellors]

Gina - Dulwich College pool (which is open to the public) is also un-chlorinated. Makes an enormous difference to my son's eczema.

[GinaG3]

Thanks for that Mellors! Might have to check it out. She hates not being able to swim on holiday and such. Supposedly makes me the most horrible mummy ever..