Can You Drink Tap Water When Pregnant?
As a pregnant woman, you want to take all precautions to ensure that both you and the baby are safe. As part of this, you are likely asking "Can you drink tap water when pregnant?"
The general guide in the UK is that you can drink tap water while pregnant because it goes through a thorough filtration system. However, recently, there have been a lot of reports about it being unsafe because tap water in most parts of the world has proven to be contaminated with a range of metals and chemicals, including lead, copper and forever chemicals PFOA/PFOS, among many others.
These contaminants can have serious consequences on the health of humans, which is why it is often advised that you shouldn't drink tap water when pregnant.
In this blog, we answer the question "Should you drink tap water while pregnant?".
Dangers of Drinking Tap Water When Pregnant
Despite rigorous filtering and cleansing processes in the UK water systems, there are many contaminants found in our tap water.
So, when discussing "Can you drink tap water when pregnant?" you first need to look at the potential dangers of drinking contaminated water.
Risks can include:
- Lead - can increase the risk of miscarriage and premature birth and harm the baby's brain, kidneys and nervous system.
- Forever chemicals PFOAs - can impact the development of the fetus.
- Pesticides - can impair cognitive and neurodevelopmental, fetal health and growth.
- Fluoride - studies suggest it could impact the baby's brain development.
- Phthalates - can disrupt hormones and potentially lead to birth defects.
Why Is Hydration Crucial During Pregnancy?
Of course, water is still important for you because you need to stay hydrated - if anything, hydration is even more pivotal while pregnant.
During pregnancy, your body changes significantly, which increases its demands for water to continue essential functions for you and your growing baby.
Why is hydration so important when pregnant?
- Supports amniotic fluid levels
- Aiding nutrient absorption
- Promoting digestive health
- Regulating body temperature
- Reducing pregnancy-related swelling
- Supporting overall health
Is Bottled Water a Better Option?
A conclusion often drawn in answer to "Can I drink tap water when pregnant?" is often to turn to bottled water. But, the fact is that this may not be such a good option either, as there are no guarantees that it is any purer than the water that comes from your tap.
On top of this, you have to pay for bottles of water, and they aren't always cheap. If you reach for bottled water every time you feel thirsty, you will end up spending hundreds of pounds during your pregnancy!
Looking outside your own health and purse, choosing bottled water has negative impacts on the environment too.
Filtering Tap Water Is The Best Option
So, if you can't drink water straight from the tap, but bottled water isn't the answer, how can you drink water to remain hydrated?
The best thing to do is to purify your own tap water using a water filter jug.
Water filters are quickly becoming popular as the dangers of contaminants in tap water become apparent.
These water filter jugs are fitted with a special filter that traps metals and other impurities that are present in your tap water.
There are three types of filters available:
- Sediment filters - remove the larger particles
- Activated carbon filters - capture smaller particles
- Combined filters - use both of the above to catch all sized particles
Using a water filter is easier than buying bottled water because you can always have it filled and ready to go home. The only bit of maintenance you will need to do is swap the filter every couple of months.
You can also purchase refillable water bottles that you can carry around with you just to ensure that when you get thirsty on the move, you can hydrate safely.
Benefits of Using A Water Filter When Pregnant
Opting to use a water filter jug to purify your water when pregnant offers many benefits.
- Gives you confidence you are drinking purer water
- Better for the environment
- Often cheaper than bottled water - jugs and filters are affordable and financially sustainable
- Easy to use
- Always available
Choosing the Right Water Filter For You
It is important to choose water filter jugs carefully because not all of them do the same thing, and some can be highly marked up for doing the same thing as the cheapest one on the market.
We recommend you do some research into the brands, carefully paying attention to the price.
The size of the jug you buy should be determined by the size of your family - there are some that are big enough to filter water for a large family.
Also, take a look at what type of filter system they use and what contaminants they reduce or remove.
Why Choose Culligan ZeroWater?
So, when you are wondering "Can you drink tap water when pregnant?" and are looking for a water filter, where should you turn?
We, here at Culligan ZeroWater, recommend our own market-leading water filter jugs.
Every filter uses our five-stage filtration system that reduces 99.6% of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), 99.7% of lead and 95% of forever chemicals, as well as a long list of other metals and contaminants.
We have a variety of sizes to choose from, so you will find one big enough to suit your family and water-drinking habits.
Order your water filter jug today online, and don't forget to grab some replacement filters so you are stocked up for when you need them.
