Getting a fever is our body’s way of sounding alarm bells. When the temperature goes up, it’s a sure sign something’s wrong.
But more than that, it’s a way for our immune system to kill or at the very least, slow down an infection before it spreads.
For pregnant women, fevers are something to be taken very seriously. Especially if it’s an indication of an underlying infection that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
Never underestimate a fever, even if it’s a mild one.
Here’s what you need to know about fever during pregnancy.
How to Know If You Have A Fever
It can seem hard to determine whether you have a fever or not when you’re pregnant.
Some pregnancy hormones can make you feel like you have a high temperature. These are known as hot flashes and are very common during pregnancy.
However, the difference between something like a hot flash and a fever is that a hot flash does not raise your core body temperature and they are not known to last more than a few minutes.
A fever is consistent and may often come with other symptoms like shivering. Shivering is one of the ways the body generates its own heat in order to raise its core temperature.
If you feel your skin is hot to the touch (and you haven’t been exercising or spent time outdoors for any extended period of time), then it’s usually a sign that a fever is imminent.
Fevers are a common symptom of the upper respiratory illnesses like the flu or common cold. They may also be caused by heatstroke or sunstroke.
The way you know for sure if you have a fever is if you have a temperature of more than 37.8°C (100°F). This can only be properly measured by a high-quality thermometer.
One thing to note is that whatever the cause, excluding very rare disorders and conditions, fevers are almost always a sure sign of a viral or bacterial infection.
Your body naturally turns up the heat to kill any pathogens that have entered your system. Unfortunately, sometimes it does this at your own expense, which is why some fevers can be life-threatening.
How Common Is It For Pregnant Women To Experience A Fever?
It has long been known that the immune system goes through drastic changes during pregnancy; becoming less active as the months go by.
This is important because otherwise, your own immune cells would consider your growing baby an invader and start attacking it.
However, as a result of this lowering of immunity, it does mean that pregnant women are indeed more susceptible to infections compared to a non-pregnant person.
Where infections are concerned, fever is always the outcome. These are known in medical circles as febrile illnesses, or illnesses that cause fever.
Whether it’s a respiratory illness or the stomach flu, anything that involves pathogens and can travel through human contact is always a risk to pregnant mums.
However, this does not necessarily mean that you will definitely get a fever if you’re pregnant.
With proper precautions, you can go through your entire pregnancy without a single infection or fever to speak of.
Can Pregnancy Fever Harm A Developing Fetus?
A mild fever will usually not cause any problems. However, the underlying infection may actually be the more pressing concern.
That is why it’s important to quickly go to the doctor even if you have a mild fever.
However, according to this study, a temperature higher than 102°F (39°C) can pose a significant risk to both you and your baby. Especially if you’re a newly pregnant mum going through your first trimester.
The risks that high fever poses to an unborn baby include certain birth defects (such as neural tube defects), structural malformations like oral clefts, growth retardation, congenital heart defects, preterm birth, and pregnancy loss.
But perhaps what could potentially be more dangerous than the actual fever is the infection that caused it.
Some very problematic ones include rubella, varicella (chicken pox), certain STIs (syphilis), listeriosis, Hepatitis B, mosquito-borne illnesses (malaria and zika), herpes, bacterial vaginosis and many others.
While rare, some of these diseases like zika and rubella can cause birth defects, pregnancy loss and even maternal death.
What To Do If You Have A Fever During Pregnancy
The most important thing to do when you feel a fever come on is to not wait too long to go see a doctor.
A non-pregnant person usually won’t bother, especially if they know it’s the flu.
But for a pregnant mum, going to the doctor even with a mild case of fever could potentially be life-saving.
If you do not or cannot take a fever-reducing medicine then be sure to stay hydrated to keep your body cool. Fluid loss happens faster in those with high fever, so be sure to drink plenty of water.
Be sure to wear light clothing too to help your body stay cool in the meantime.
Is A Fever-Reducing Medication Safe While Pregnant?
Yes, but it’s important to know what kind. Not all fever-reducing medicines (or what they call antipyretics) are safe for pregnant women.
According to this study, the safest fever medication that pregnant mums can take is acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol).
As we all know, paracetamol is the most common over-the-counter pain and fever medication. Popular brand names are of course Panadol and Tylenol.
You should never take aspirin or ibuprofen to lower your fever. These medications are dangerous for pregnant women as they can harm your baby.
Aspirin can increase the risk of pregnancy bleeding, birth defects and miscarriage. Ibuprofen can also lead to pregnancy complications and foetal death.
If you’re pregnant and are experiencing a high fever, quickly take some paracetamol before going to the doctor. The safe dosage is 500 mg to 1000 mg every four to six hours, and not more than 4000 mg every 24 hours.
However, do no rely on paracetamol alone to treat your fever symptoms at home. You will still need to see a doctor to address with the underlying cause.
In fact even acetaminophen can be harmful for pregnancy when taken in excess over a long period of time.
This study found that prenatal acetaminophen use can cause health conditions and neurodevelopmental disorders in early childhood including: asthma, low IQ, autism, ADHD and behavioural issues.
How Does Treatment of Pregnancy Fever Differ From Non-Pregnant Individuals?
That depends solely on the underlying cause of the fever. Treating the fever is not the ultimate goal, but treating the cause is.
The sooner the infection is addressed, the sooner the doctor can take you off fever medication.
However, when a doctor finds the cause of the infection they cannot simply prescribe any drug to take care of it. Some medications commonly used to treat infections can actually harm your baby.
These include certain antibiotics (streptomycin, kanamycin and tetracycline), antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics.
The wrong medication can result in anything from birth defects, physical impairment, and even pregnancy loss.
The trick therefore is to find the safest medication for the pregnant mum without creating unnecessary health risk for the baby.
However this isn’t always possible as some medications do not come with pregnancy-safe alternatives.
Trust your doctor to supply you with the safest medication for your condition.
What Preventive Measures Can Pregnant Women Take To Prevent A Fever?
The flu isn’t the only febrile infection that Malaysians are often exposed to.
Other illnesses that cause fever that pregnant mums should try to avoid include: viral infections, influenza, UTIs, viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu),
Mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever, leptospirosis and toxoplasmosis should also be added to the list as they are known to cause complications during pregnancy as well.
This may seem like an impossible list to keep track of. After all, each disease has its own preventative measure.
But there are ways to ensure you are protected from most if not all of them.
First ensure the utmost hygiene. Not just in terms of washing your hands before eating, but also about making sure your food isn’t contaminated. This does mean that you should limit consuming ‘street food’ and undercooked or cured meat.
Avoid swimming in bodies of water both man-made and natural. These include rivers and lakes (and yes, even swimming pools and hot tubs), as there could be any number of pathogens in these places.
When going out to crowded, public places, wear a mask. To avoid Aedes mosquitoes, avoid wearing dark clothes or going out during dawn and dusk.
Try to exercise indoors as mosquitoes are attracted to fast-moving objects, carbon dioxide and body odour.
Get the proper vaccines and boosters if you haven’t already.
Keep Things Cool
Getting a fever during pregnancy doesn’t have to be a serious problem. With prompt response, a trip to the doctor will swiftly address any infection or illness that may be the culprit.
The best thing you can do when you have a fever is to not wait too long to get medical attention and things should be ok.
That said, it’s also important to take all the preventative measures to ensure that you and your baby will not have to deal with a single fever at all.
With any luck, your entire pregnancy will be an uneventful one, free of any serious illnesses and infections, which is all any of us can hope for.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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