Causes of internal heat during pregnancy
Almost every female must have heard that during the menopausal periods, women usually experience ‘heat strokes’ or internal heat; most of them are also aware that the same thing could happen if they undergo hormonal therapy. But if there is internal heat during pregnancy, can it be considered normal? Is it also a cause for concern? Many women need answers to these questions, and this article will attempt to explain them.
What causes internal heat?
As you may already know, the cause of internal heat during pregnancy is mostly hormonal changes in the body of a woman. As in the period of menopause, during pregnancy, the functions of the ovaries are turned off temporarily, unlike in the case. However, the signs in both cases could be pretty similar, and one of them is heat stroke.
The body of a pregnant woman goes through an increased production of special hormones - estrogen and progesterone. In different periods of pregnancy, one or the other becomes more active. Such fluctuations, among other things, can also cause a feeling of heat that extends mainly to the upper body - the chest, neck, head and face.
Under the influence of hormones, there are different changes in the organisms of the future mother, which in combination and separately can cause internal heat during pregnancy. Examples are, increased uterus, increased blood circulation, acceleration of metabolic processes, stimulation of sweat glands, activation of heat transfer of the body, amongst others.
There is another reason why a pregnant woman can suddenly catch a fever. The body temperature of many pregnant women increases physiologically, that is, during pregnancy it is normal and does not pose any danger. In this case, the woman does not observe the development of other painful symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, runny nose or aches in the body.
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The temperature during pregnancy is considered normal if it does not exceed subfebrile markers (36.9-37.5°C) and does not come with signs of any diseases. Please note that dehydration can also cause the body’s temperature to rise - this should not be allowed. And since a pregnant woman sweats and goes to the toilet more, she should drink more water to compensate for the fluid loss.
Physiological hyperemia of pregnant women may also cause internal heat in pregnancy, but if the temperature rises up to 38°C or higher, or if some other signs are observed in combination with the increased temperature, you should consult a doctor immediately. It is necessary to call an ambulance if fever is combined with increased blood pressure. Such situations could sometimes occur in later terms.
Causes of internal heat during the early stages of pregnancy
A slight increase in body temperature can be observed right from the first days of pregnancy; the woman could also experience cases of sudden heat, followed by sudden cold. All these are due to the hormonal reorganization of the new life forming inside her.
Soon the sweat glands will begin to work more actively, and these two processes - heat stroke and strong sweating will accompany each other. It happens quite often. Approximately one in five pregnant women complain of internal heat and night sweats during the course of pregnancy, and according to some reports, four out of five women experience internal heat during pregnancy.
The increase in temperature happens more often during the first trimester; as a rule, the woman’s temperature should normalize after this period.
Internal body heat during the late pregnancy
Sometimes internal heat occurs in the second and third trimester of pregnancy; the usual complaints of women who experience this condition are sudden feeling of hot flashes, everywhere feeling stuffy like there is a lack of air, heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, face flushing, profuse sweating, headache and dizziness. This can last from a few seconds to several minutes, and only in very rare cases will the heat last for a long time.
Gynecologists and therapists reassure pregnant women that these symptoms after delivery, but it often happens that the heat comes back during the period of breastfeeding.
Heat during pregnancy at night
Internal heat in pregnancy occur not only during the day, but also at night. Very often women wake up in the middle of the night because of a sharp sensation of heat in the upper part or throughout the body. They tend to open the windows or wash their face with cold water to ease their condition. All these work well, but act cautiously so that you do not catch a cold.
Doctors advise wearing clothes made from natural fabrics to ease the condition. You can also try wearing multi-layered clothes, like several thin blouses instead of one warm one, so that if necessary, you could always take some off.
The bedroom should be well ventilated before going to bed, try carrying a fan with you. In summer, try to stay in the shade and wear a hat when necessary. Do not forget to drink enough water, internal heat can occur due to dehydration.
You can use a cold compress on the forehead and cervical area or face to control the rise in temperature. It also helps if you just put your wrists in cool water.
If there are no contraindications to this, do not stop physical activities during pregnancy. You can enroll in fitness or gymnastics for pregnant women, this will strengthen the muscles, cardiovascular system and can be considered an excellent preparation for childbirth.
If you are not sure about the causes of internal heat during pregnancy, be sure to tell your doctor about it. But in general, doctors calm the ladies down: heat during pregnancy is a normal, innocuous phenomenon which does no harm except for the minor discomfort it brings to the woman; it cannot be ‘cured’. The lady may just do some things to feel better. Therefore, do not take any form of medications for it without consulting a doctor, many of them can cause tachycardia and increased blood pressure, which can worsen a woman's well-being and the condition of the child.
Take care of yourself!
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Source: Legit.ng
