During pregnancy, fever occurs without fever. What to do if you break into a sweat during pregnancy? Changes in cholesterol and increased risk of heart disease
Most mothers love to remember the times of their pregnancy and the unusual changes in their well-being and life in general that happened to them during this period. Most likely, many of them often remember the hot flashes that accompanied the time they were waiting for the baby.
Why does pregnancy give you a fever?
Hot flashes are normal and quite common during pregnancy. A woman feels hot, then cold, and may experience dizziness, weakness, or chills. If this condition is not associated with a cold, viral diseases or with an inflammatory process in the body, then there is no need to worry about your health expectant mother and baby. This is one of the physiological conditions of the body that occurs for a number of reasons.
- in the early stages
One of the reasons for such hot flashes is a pause in the functioning of the ovaries, a process similar to menopause. The symptoms of these processes are also similar, with the only difference being that hot flashes that occur during pregnancy go away after childbirth.
REFERENCE! An increase in body temperature may be the first symptom that will indicate to a woman her new position.
Throughout the entire period, the amount of hormone production fluctuates: estrogen and progesterone. Depending on the trimester, the production of one or another hormone increases. It may also cause a feeling of heat.
The cause of such unusual sensations may also be a temporary increase in normal temperature body, which until the 14th week of pregnancy is 36.9-37.5°C. When such hot flashes occur, you need to make sure that there are no symptoms of a cold so as not to confuse physiological hyperemia and the onset of a cold.
REFERENCE! If your body temperature rises to 38°C or higher, or if you experience symptoms such as headache, cough, runny nose, pain in the lower back or lower abdomen, you should immediately seek medical help.
- in later stages
During the third trimester of pregnancy, such hot flashes also cause a lot of trouble: weakness, dizziness, chills, increased sweating. Such attacks last from 30 seconds to 2 minutes, do not pose any danger and go away on their own.
The reason for their occurrence is regular hormonal changes (the body is gradually preparing for the upcoming process of giving birth to a child) and a huge load on the body of the expectant mother. Typically, such phenomena stop three months after the birth of the baby.
A woman may feel heat in her legs caused by varicose veins. This is a fairly common occurrence during pregnancy. Varicose veins occur due to the fact that the uterus, which significantly increases in volume, puts pressure on the pelvic veins and slows down the blood flow, which causes an increase in the load on the veins of the legs. The result is pain and a feeling of heat in the legs, swelling and the appearance of spider veins.
REFERENCE! An increase in body temperature can also be caused by dehydration. At the same time, physiological hyperemia and increased sweating may cause excessive fluid loss. Therefore, in any case, it is necessary to monitor compliance with the drinking regime.
What to do if you have a fever during pregnancy?
Usually, a woman’s condition can be alleviated during physiological hot flashes using non-drug methods.
- Ventilate the apartment, let in fresh cool air. Of course, avoid drafts.
- Change clothes to lighter ones, unfasten a few buttons, loosen your belt.
- Wash with cold water.
- Take a shower with the water temperature slightly lower than usual.
- Drink a glass of clean, cool water.
- Place a cold compress on your forehead and neck.
- Spray your face and hands with thermal water.
- Use a fan.
To relieve the discomfort caused by varicose veins, you need to dose the load on your legs, rest after walks, etc. physical activity. You can improve blood circulation by lying on the sofa, placing a pillow or bolster under your feet.
To prescribe medications, you should consult a doctor managing your pregnancy. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate. This also applies to herbal preparations, which also have a lot of contraindications.
REFERENCE! Moderate physical activity will make it easier to endure hot flashes, as well as other unpleasant moments of pregnancy. Of course, you can’t run a marathon in this position, but if you visit the pool or fitness classes for pregnant women a couple of times a week, the muscles and cardiovascular system will remain in good shape, and it will be easier for the woman to cope with many difficulties, including the upcoming birth.
Hot flashes during pregnancy are quite an unpleasant experience. But if you perceive this phenomenon as a consequence of the magical process of the birth of a new life, then you can endure it without much difficulty. The main thing is to know ways to alleviate your condition and not focus on this temporary trouble.
Especially for- Elena Kichak
Even very young girls have heard that women during menopause often experience hot flashes due to hormonal changes in the body. Some of the young girls know about the tides from personal experience, if for some reason, for example, in the complex of planning and preparation for future pregnancy, they were undergoing hormonal therapy. But when you feel feverish during pregnancy, expectant mothers begin to doubt the “normality” of this condition. What if hot flashes during pregnancy are dangerous or should not occur?.. Many women are looking for answers to these questions, although the main one lies on the surface.
Hot flashes during pregnancy: causes
Already from what has been said above, you can guess that hot flashes are caused by hormonal changes in a woman’s body. As during menopause, during pregnancy the functions of the ovaries are switched off, only in this case this phenomenon is temporary, unlike menopause. However, the signs can be similar, and one of them is hot flashes when you get hot during pregnancy.
In the body of the expectant mother, there is an increased production of sex hormones - estrogen and progesterone. During different periods of pregnancy, one or the other of them is more active. Such fluctuations, among other things, can cause a feeling of heat, which spreads mainly to the upper part of the body - chest, neck, head, face.
Under the influence of hormones, a huge number of different changes occur in the body of the expectant mother, which together and individually can cause hot flashes during pregnancy. This is an increase in the size of the uterus, increased blood circulation, acceleration of metabolic processes, stimulation of the sweat glands, activation of heat transfer from the body, and others. Speaking of heat transfer...
This is another reason why a pregnant woman may suddenly have a fever. The body temperature of many expectant mothers increases physiologically, that is, during pregnancy it is normal and does not pose any danger. At the same time, the woman does not observe the development of other painful signs, such as vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, runny nose or body aches.
Temperature during pregnancy is considered normal if it does not exceed subfebrile levels (36.9-37.5 o C) and is not combined with signs of any diseases. Please note that due to dehydration, body temperature also rises - this should not be allowed. And since a pregnant woman sweats a lot and goes to the toilet more often, fluid losses should be replaced to a greater extent than before.
Against the background of physiological hyperemia, pregnant women often feel feverish. But if the temperature rises to 38 o C or higher, or if other signs are observed in combination with the temperature, then you need to consult a doctor to find the cause of such disorders. Should be called ambulance, if you feel feverish during pregnancy and your blood pressure rises at the same time. Such situations occur more often in later.
Gives you a fever during early pregnancy
A slight increase in body temperature can be observed from the first days of pregnancy. Often, in combination with other symptoms, low-grade fever in the early stages tells the woman that conception has probably occurred in this cycle.
A newly pregnant woman sometimes feels hot or cold. All this is a consequence of the beginning of hormonal changes in the body. Soon the sweat glands will begin to work more actively, and these two processes - hot flashes and heavy sweating - will accompany each other. However, this does not happen in one hundred percent of cases, but quite often. Approximately every fifth pregnant woman complains of feeling hot and sweating heavily during pregnancy. And according to some data, hot flashes during pregnancy occur in four out of five women.
Increased body temperature, when you feel feverish during pregnancy, most often occurs in the first trimester, in the early stages of bearing a baby. As the period increases, it usually normalizes, returning to its previous levels. Therefore, hot flashes in later stages should not normally be accompanied by high temperature.
Gives you a fever in late pregnancy
However, hot flashes most often occur in the second and especially the third trimester of pregnancy - weeks after the 30th. This condition is described by many expectant mothers: it suddenly becomes very hot, stuffy, there is not enough air, the heartbeat quickens, breathing becomes difficult, the face turns red, sweating increases, there may be pain and dizziness, nausea, and a feeling of anxiety. This can last from a few seconds to several minutes, and only in extremely rare cases does the tide last long.
Gynecologists and therapists reassure: after childbirth this will most likely go away. But it often happens that hot flashes are repeated during the period breastfeeding baby - at this time the activity of hormonal processes is also very high.
Feeling hot during pregnancy at night
Hot flashes can occur not only at any stage of pregnancy, but also at any time of the day. Very often, women wake up in the middle of the night due to a sudden feeling of warmth in the upper part or throughout the body. They open the windows and wash themselves with cold water to alleviate their condition. All this helps a lot, but act carefully so as not to catch a cold: a breath of cold air or a slight whiff of cold wind on a steaming, sweating body will be enough to make you get sick, and this is extremely undesirable for you now.
To feel better if you get hot during pregnancy, doctors advise wearing clothes only from natural fabrics, dressing in “layers”, that is, several thin blouses instead of one warm one, so that if necessary, you can always take off excess or put on what is missing.
The bedroom should be well ventilated before going to bed, or even sleep with the window open, the main thing is that there is no draft. It is convenient to carry a fan with you. In the summer, try to spend less time in the sun, and be sure to wear a hat. And don’t forget to drink enough water: a fever can also occur due to dehydration.
A cold compress on the forehead and neck area or wiping the face with ice cubes (especially for this purpose, you can freeze tonic herbal decoctions in a mold) will help reduce the feeling of heat during a hot flash. It also helps if you simply put your wrists under cool water.
Unless there are any contraindications, do not stop physical activity once you become pregnant. You can sign up for fitness or gymnastics for pregnant women: this will strengthen your muscles, cardiovascular system and will be an excellent preparation for childbirth.
If you feel feverish during pregnancy, be sure to tell your doctor. But in general, doctors reassure: hot flashes during pregnancy are normal and harmless, except for discomfort for the woman. But other than reducing it a little and surviving it, there is no way to “cure” it.
Therefore, under no circumstances should you accept any medicines, even on a natural plant basis, without first consulting a doctor. Many of them, among other things, cause tachycardia and increased blood pressure, which can worsen the woman’s well-being and the child’s condition.
Especially for - Ekaterina Vlasenko
Tides- This is a sudden feeling of heat, most intense in the chest, neck and face. Such attacks are usually short, lasting from 30 seconds to several minutes. The feeling of heat may be accompanied by a number of other symptoms:
- redness of the skin, the appearance of a blush on the face;
- excessive sweating (including night sweats);
- feeling of anxiety;
- rapid heartbeat;
- a feeling of being thrown into the cold after the heat goes away.
Hot flashes are considered a characteristic symptom of the menopausal transition. But they also occur in men and women under other circumstances, for example in girls during puberty or during pregnancy.
Hot flashes during pregnancy usually first appear before the third trimester and occur every week. You can expect the hot flashes to gradually subside as your hormone levels normalize—probably around the time ovulation resumes (a few months after giving birth, if not). Unfortunately, nothing can be done to make hot flashes stop or reduce their frequency.
Are hot flashes normal for pregnant women?
The sensation of feeling hot is very common during pregnancy. According to the results of a study published in 2013, which included 429 women, hot flashes occur in 35% of women during pregnancy and in 29% after childbirth. In this case, hot flashes gradually decrease after they reach their peak in the 2nd week after the birth of the child.
Medical experts agree that postpartum period(while the body recovers to a non-pregnant state) usually lasts 6 weeks, although some symptoms may last longer. During this time, numerous changes occur in the female body, and side effects symptoms such as hot flashes, constipation and fatigue are common.
If a woman experiences any of the following symptoms, then we're talking about It’s no longer just about hot flashes, and you need to see a doctor:
Why do you get feverish during pregnancy?
A complete understanding of the basic physiology of hot flashes remains unclear. Pregnancy and the postpartum period are a time of pronounced hormonal changes - a sharp increase in estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy, a decrease in the postpartum period and, ultimately, normalization. Such shifts affect the hypothalamus, which is responsible for thermoregulation, as a result of which the body begins to perceive a comfortable air temperature as heat.
These research findings certainly indicate the importance of hormonal fluctuations in hot flashes. However, although all women experience hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy and after birth, not all of them report hot flashes. Thus, it is likely that central parts of the thermoregulatory system, the neuroendocrine and cardiovascular or autonomic nervous systems, may also play a role.
Other possible causes of hot flashes in pregnant women may be increased (BMI - make sure that weight gain remains within normal limits) and the fetus itself (a slight increase in body temperature is acceptable as the child grows.
One study found that predictors (i.e., “predictors”) of hot flashes during pregnancy and after childbirth are similar to those during menopause: higher pre-pregnancy BMI and, most interestingly, lower education level.
How to deal with hot flashes?
There are a number of ways to help relieve hot flashes:
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“Hot flashes” with all their negative consequences are a common occurrence during menopause; they are associated with hormonal changes in the body. The same unpleasant phenomena can be observed regardless of age, for example, as a consequence of hormonal therapy in the preparatory period preceding pregnancy. But how to react if you get a fever during pregnancy for no reason? Women during this period are extremely suspicious, changes in their own bodies frighten them, so we will try to explain the reasons for this phenomenon.
Causes of hot flashes during pregnancy
So, the main cause of hot flashes is hormonal. As with menopause, during this period the ovaries cease to function, although only for the period of gestation. Why do you get hot during pregnancy?The main culprits for this are the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone, which are intensively produced female body specifically during pregnancy. Their activity is associated with a feeling of heat, usually in the chest, neck and head.
There are actually many reasons for feeling hot during pregnancy; they are associated with stretching of the uterus, increased blood circulation, acceleration of the metabolic process, more active heat transfer in the body and other processes. Let's talk about heat transfer separately, since this is one of the main reasons why you can feel hot. An increase in temperature during pregnancy is an absolutely normal physiological phenomenon; it is not dangerous and is not accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, aches or runny nose, as, say, with a cold.
Normal temperature fluctuations during pregnancy are from 36.9°C to 37.5°C. The main thing is to avoid dehydration, because at such times a woman loses much more water through sweat and urine. So you need to drink more often, otherwise a lack of water can also cause an increase in temperature.
Physiological hyperemia is the reason why people often feel feverish. You should worry if the thermometer shows 38°C and there are other negative signs. That’s when a doctor’s consultation is simply necessary. If you feel feverish during pregnancy and your blood pressure goes through the roof, don’t hesitate to call an ambulance. Note that such symptoms more often occur in the later stages.
Gives you a fever during early pregnancy
Body temperature rises slightly already in the very first days of pregnancy; it is this factor in the early stages, in the presence of other symptoms, that signals the likelihood of conception. The expectant mother feels hot and cold. As has already been said, there is no need to worry, everything is going normally. hormonal changes. After activation of the sweat glands, attacks of sudden fever and excessive sweating usually jointly harass most women. According to statistics, four out of five women complain that they feel hot during pregnancy.The condition of feeling hot during pregnancy is typical for the first trimester, that is, in the early stages. As the period increases, the temperature returns to normal levels. In the later stages, hot flashes, if they occur, are not accompanied by an increase in temperature.
Gives you a fever in late pregnancy
The feeling of hot flashes is more typical for the second or third trimester of pregnancy (30th week and beyond). The condition is characterized by high fever, signs of suffocation, rapid heartbeat, profuse sweating, dizziness and nausea, and causeless anxiety. Usually everything goes away in a matter of minutes, prolonged hot flashes are extremely rare. In the postpartum period, everything usually stops, but there are isolated cases of “hot flashes” during breastfeeding. This is also related to high activity hormones.Gives you a fever during pregnancy at night
So, hot flashes can be annoying at any stage of pregnancy, also during the day and at night. This is especially unpleasant, of course, at night, when due to the tides you have to jump up, open the window, and throw back the blanket. At the same time, the danger of colds increases, since the temperature is elevated, the body is sweaty, how far is it from trouble?When you feel hot during pregnancy, multi-layer clothing made from natural fabrics will help, allowing you to correct the sensations of heat or cold. Important role provides fresh air access to the sleeping area. A few more tips: wear a fan, cover your head in hot weather, beware of the open sun in hot weather, drink more water, because dehydration can make you feel hot.
Cold compresses on the forehead and neck will help with hot flashes; you can wipe your face with ice cubes from a herbal decoction. Even a simple stream of cool water on the wrist area can bring relief.
During pregnancy, physical exercise is not at all contraindicated and is even recommended. There are sets of exercises designed specifically for pregnant women; fitness is very useful - they help strengthen muscles, the cardiovascular system, and prepare a woman for the stress of childbirth.
In any case, when you feel feverish during pregnancy, consult a gynecologist, at least to calm down. Remember: the occurrence of hot flashes during pregnancy is normal and does not require treatment, but it is quite possible to reduce the degree of discomfort. You don’t need any drugs, even the most “natural” ones, they can cause harm. So put your baby’s health first, be patient and just get through this time.
According to statistics, about 20% of pregnant women experience heat and hot flashes while carrying a baby, most often in the second half of pregnancy. This physiological jump in body temperature is normal and in the absence of any other symptoms - chills, weakness, dizziness, aches in all limbs should not be alarming. But here it is important not to confuse a slight fever with an increased body temperature.
Causes of fever or elevated temperature during pregnancy
Immediately after conception, a massive restructuring begins in a woman’s body. All organs and systems undergo changes, in particular, hormonal levels change, estrogen levels drop and progesterone concentration increases. All this affects the condition of the expectant mother: she gets hot during pregnancy, hot flashes occur, the duration of which can vary from a few seconds to several minutes. Body temperature rises slightly, to a maximum of 37.4 ⁰C and this should not be a concern. The heat in the décolleté, neck and head area quickly disappears if you ensure that cool air enters the room where the woman is.
During this period, many expectant mothers unconsciously try to provide themselves with a greater level of comfort by opening the windows at night in cool weather and dressing much lighter than before. Let us repeat: this is normal and does not pose any threat to the fetus. Same changes hormonal levels cause hot legs during pregnancy. He is provoked, familiar to many ladies in position. This disease is provoked by an enlarged uterus, which puts pressure on the pelvic veins, disrupting their blood flow and increasing the load on the vessels of the lower extremities. As a result, the legs hurt, swell, become covered with ugly spider veins and get tired very quickly.
In this case, pregnant women are advised to minimize the load on their legs, rest after each walk with a pillow under them, and do light exercises that will help improve blood circulation. A woman should tell her gynecologist about such problems and consult with him on what to do in this case.
Infection is most dangerous in the first three months of gestation, when all systems and organs are being formed. There is a risk of giving birth to a baby with developmental defects and mental retardation. If a temperature above 38 ⁰C persists for several days, the limbs, brain and facial skeleton take the greatest blow. Women with similar problems in the first trimester of pregnancy are more likely than others to give birth to babies with malformations of the palate, jaw and upper lip. It is often possible to observe a miscarriage early caused by illness.
What to do in this case? Be treated, but only with those drugs that are approved for use in this situation. Only a doctor can prescribe them after making a final diagnosis. Most of these medicines are based on the action of medicinal herbs or components that cannot have a negative effect on the fetus. You can only bring down the temperature with Paracetamol, but you cannot take it uncontrollably. In particular, it is not recommended to bring down the heat below 38 ⁰C. Drinking plenty of fluids is recommended, for example, herbal tea with raspberries, chamomile decoction, milk with honey, wiping with vinegar, applying a damp bandage to the forehead.