Is it safe to go outside while pregnant when it is smoky?

A little time outdoors when the air is only moderate is usually fine, but on days when the AQI is in the orange range or worse, it is wise to limit your time outside and avoid hard exertion. Pregnant people are considered a sensitive group by the EPA. Check AirNow.gov before you head out, keep trips short, and go back indoors if you start coughing, feel short of breath, or notice eye and throat irritation.

Do face masks protect me from wildfire smoke?

A well fitted N95 or KN95 respirator can help filter the fine particles in wildfire smoke, but only if it seals snugly against your face with no gaps. Cloth masks and simple surgical masks do not filter smoke particles in a meaningful way, so they are not reliable protection. If you must be outdoors when the air is unhealthy, a properly fitted N95 is the better choice, and limiting your time outside still matters most.

How do I clean the air in my home during a wildfire?

Stay indoors with windows and doors closed, and run a portable HEPA air purifier in the room where you spend the most time. If you do not have one, the EPA describes how to make a do it yourself box fan filter using a furnace filter. Set your heating or cooling system to recirculate, and avoid adding indoor particles by not burning candles, frying food, or vacuuming in ways that stir up dust.

When should I call my provider about wildfire smoke?

Mild eye, nose, or throat irritation is common, but call your provider if you have trouble breathing, chest tightness or pain, a fast or pounding heartbeat, a severe or lasting cough, dizziness, or if your baby is moving less than usual. If you have asthma and smoke is making it worse, contact your provider. For any serious symptom or an emergency, call 911 rather than waiting.

Staying healthy

Wildfire smoke and pregnancy: how to protect yourself on smoky days

June 29, 2026 · 8 min read

If you are pregnant during fire season in California or the Southwest, you have probably had days when the sky turns hazy and the air smells like smoke. It is reasonable to wonder what that means for you and your baby. The good news is that the steps that protect you are mostly simple and within your control: knowing when the air is bad, keeping the cleanest air you can indoors, and limiting your exposure outside. This guide explains why wildfire smoke matters, how to read the air quality index, and the practical things you can do on smoky days. This is general education, not medical advice, so please call your provider with any concern about your own health or your pregnancy.

Why wildfire smoke matters in pregnancy

Wildfire smoke is a mix of gases and tiny particles, and the part that worries health agencies most is fine particle pollution, often called PM2.5. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), these particles are so small that they get deep into the lungs, and some can even reach the bloodstream, which is why smoke can affect more than just your nose and throat. During pregnancy your body is already working harder, your lungs and heart are doing more, and anything that adds strain is worth taking seriously. The EPA explains that PM2.5 is the main pollutant of concern in wildfire smoke for everyone, and that sensitive groups have more reason to be careful. You do not need to panic about a single hazy afternoon, but it does make sense to treat repeated or heavy smoke as something to actively manage rather than wait out.

What research and health groups say about air pollution

When it comes to air pollution and pregnancy, it helps to separate what is well established from what is still being studied. Research has linked higher exposure to air pollution during pregnancy with outcomes such as preterm birth and low birth weight, and bodies like the EPA describe air pollution as a recognized health concern for pregnant people and developing babies. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the EPA both emphasize reducing exposure where you reasonably can, especially for people who are pregnant, who have asthma or heart conditions, or who are very young or older. These are general associations across populations, not a prediction about any one pregnancy, and the practical takeaway is steady and reassuring: lowering how much smoke you breathe is a sensible, evidence-aligned thing to do, and the protective steps are the same ones agencies recommend for everyone during smoke events.

How to check air quality with the AQI

The simplest way to know whether the air outside is safe is to check the Air Quality Index, or AQI, which the EPA publishes for free at AirNow.gov and through the AirNow app. The AQI turns pollution levels into a single number and a color you can read at a glance. In broad terms, green means the air is good, yellow is moderate, and orange means the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups, a category that includes pregnant people. Red means unhealthy for everyone, and purple and maroon mean very unhealthy or hazardous. A practical habit during fire season is to check the AQI in the morning the way you might check the weather, and again if you smell or see smoke, because conditions can change quickly. Many local air districts and the National Weather Service also issue smoke or air quality alerts, so signing up for those can give you a heads up before the haze arrives.

Keeping the air clean indoors

On smoky days, the single most effective thing most people can do is stay indoors with the windows and doors closed, which keeps a lot of the outdoor particles out. To clean the air that is already inside, run a portable air purifier with a HEPA filter in the room where you spend the most time, sized for that room. If you do not have a purifier, the EPA and many air agencies describe how to make a do it yourself box fan filter by attaching a high quality furnace filter to a box fan, which can noticeably lower indoor particles at low cost. Set your central heating or air conditioning to recirculate rather than pull in outside air, and use a high efficiency filter if your system takes one. Avoid adding more particles indoors: skip burning candles or incense, do not fry or broil food if you can help it, and do not vacuum in a way that stirs up dust, since these all add to the load your air cleaner has to handle.

Protecting yourself outdoors and in the car

Sometimes you have to go out, and a few habits keep your exposure down. Limit hard physical exertion outdoors when the air is bad, because exercise makes you breathe faster and deeper and pulls more smoke into your lungs, so save the long walk for a clearer day. In the car, close the windows and set the ventilation to recirculate so you are not drawing smoky air inside. If you must be outside for a while when the air is unhealthy, a well fitted N95 or KN95 respirator can help filter out fine particles, but it only works if it seals against your face, so it should fit snugly with no gaps. Cloth masks and simple surgical masks do not filter wildfire smoke in a meaningful way, so do not rely on them for protection from particles. Plan errands for times of day when the AQI is lower when you can, and keep trips short on the smokiest days.

Who should be extra careful, and warning signs

Some people need to be more cautious during smoke events. If you have asthma, the EPA and most health agencies consider you part of a sensitive group, so keep your rescue inhaler and any asthma action plan close, take your controller medication as prescribed, and call your provider if smoke is making your breathing harder. The same extra care applies if you have a heart condition or other lung problems. For anyone who is pregnant, pay attention to how you feel. Mild eye, nose, or throat irritation and a little coughing are common with smoke, but you should call your provider if you have trouble breathing, chest tightness or chest pain, a fast or pounding heartbeat, severe or lasting cough, dizziness, or if you notice your baby moving less than usual. Trust your instincts: if something feels seriously wrong, if you cannot catch your breath, or in any emergency, call 911 rather than waiting it out.

How Materna fits in

Materna is a free, Spanish first pregnancy app for patients that keeps your prenatal information, questions, and visit notes in one place, so when you want to ask your provider about smoke exposure, asthma, or anything else, you have your history ready and your questions written down. Materna does not replace your medical team and does not diagnose or treat anything; it helps you stay organized and informed between visits, in English or Spanish. For any concern about your breathing or your baby, call your provider, and in an emergency call 911. For mental health support during a stressful season, you can reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Coverage and eligibility questions should go to your state Medicaid agency. Materna serves families in Arizona, California, Texas, and Pennsylvania, where patients use it free and providers pay for their side, and safety information like this is never behind a paywall.

Get the free Materna pregnancy app

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to go outside while pregnant when it is smoky?: A little time outdoors when the air is only moderate is usually fine, but on days when the AQI is in the orange range or worse, it is wise to limit your time outside and avoid hard exertion. Pregnant people are considered a sensitive group by the EPA. Check AirNow.gov before you head out, keep trips short, and go back indoors if you start coughing, feel short of breath, or notice eye and throat irritation.
Do face masks protect me from wildfire smoke?: A well fitted N95 or KN95 respirator can help filter the fine particles in wildfire smoke, but only if it seals snugly against your face with no gaps. Cloth masks and simple surgical masks do not filter smoke particles in a meaningful way, so they are not reliable protection. If you must be outdoors when the air is unhealthy, a properly fitted N95 is the better choice, and limiting your time outside still matters most.
How do I clean the air in my home during a wildfire?: Stay indoors with windows and doors closed, and run a portable HEPA air purifier in the room where you spend the most time. If you do not have one, the EPA describes how to make a do it yourself box fan filter using a furnace filter. Set your heating or cooling system to recirculate, and avoid adding indoor particles by not burning candles, frying food, or vacuuming in ways that stir up dust.
When should I call my provider about wildfire smoke?: Mild eye, nose, or throat irritation is common, but call your provider if you have trouble breathing, chest tightness or pain, a fast or pounding heartbeat, a severe or lasting cough, dizziness, or if your baby is moving less than usual. If you have asthma and smoke is making it worse, contact your provider. For any serious symptom or an emergency, call 911 rather than waiting.