What should be the temperature in early pregnancy? Fever in early pregnancy - what to do? Temperature during pregnancy, causes, danger, how to lower the temperature, folk remedies.

During the period of bearing a child, many changes occur in the female body. The main changes are observed in the endocrine system - the level of progesterone and estrogen increases significantly. The immunity of the expectant mother also suffers, the body produces fewer protection factors against pathogenic microorganisms.

The normal temperature during pregnancy differs from the physiological values ​​\u200b\u200bcharacteristic of a woman who does not bear a child. This phenomenon is observed due to an increased amount of progesterone and an immunosuppressive state.

Favorable body temperature

For a healthy person, normal body temperature is between 36.0 and 36.9 degrees Celsius. Thermometer values ​​between 37.0 and 37.9 degrees are called subfebrile, from 38.0 to 38.9 degrees - febrile, from 39.0 to 40.9 degrees - pyretic, more than 41.0 - hyperpyretic.

The listed classification is valid only for measurements taken in the axillary region. The temperature in the mouth is higher by about 0.3 degrees, in the rectum - by 0.5 degrees. You should also take into account the measurement error of the thermometer.

Favorable body temperature during pregnancy

The temperature during pregnancy may be slightly elevated compared to the values ​​of the average person. This phenomenon is associated with the action of the hormone progesterone. After ovulation, from the second half of the menstrual cycle, a corpus luteum forms in the ovary of a woman. This organ produces progesterone, a hormone that supports gestation.

One of the functions of progesterone is to maintain a high basal temperature (measured in the rectum) at a level of up to 37.4-37.5 degrees. Such values ​​are necessary for the processes of implantation and cell division of the fetal egg. If a woman does not become pregnant, a few days after ovulation, the corpus luteum dies off, and the temperature returns to normal values.

If the conception took place, the corpus luteum does not die, but continues to synthesize progesterone. That is why the basal temperature in the first days of pregnancy is often several tenths of a degree higher than normal values. However, in some women it may remain below 37.0-37.1. Such values ​​are typical for expectant mothers whose normal body temperature in the armpit is less than 36.6 degrees.

Attention! The permissible temperature in the 1st trimester of pregnancy, when measured in the armpit, ranges from 36.0 to 37.2 degrees, at later dates the maximum values ​​normally do not exceed 36.9 degrees.


Summarizing the above, the temperature in early pregnancy, measured in the armpit, can lie in a wide range from 36.0 to 37.2 degrees. When the thermometer is in the oral cavity, the upper values ​​\u200b\u200breach 37.4 degrees. Basal temperature at the beginning of pregnancy can reach 37.5 degrees.

However, the corpus luteum functions only until the beginning of the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. Normal body temperature in pregnant women after 14 weeks of gestational age should not exceed 36.9 degrees when measured in the axillary region.

Low temperature during pregnancy

Low body temperature during pregnancy - a temperature that is less than 36.0 degrees when measured in the armpit. Sometimes such indicators are the result of improper use of a thermometer. In other cases, low temperature in early pregnancy is the result of the following diseases:

#one. Hypothyroidism.

Its hormones affect all processes occurring in the human body, including heat transfer. With a reduced amount of thyroxine, there is a decrease in metabolism, weakness, fatigue, and swelling. People with an underactive thyroid may experience chills without an increase in body temperature.

#2. Nutrient deficiencies.

A person receives energy and warmth when eating food. In the first weeks of pregnancy, women often suffer from toxicosis, which is why most of the food is not digested and the body experiences starvation.

#3. Fall of immunity.

During pregnancy, the body of the expectant mother synthesizes fewer antibodies, which can be manifested by a decrease in body temperature.

#4. Increased loads.

Stress and physical fatigue can provoke disturbances in the thermoregulation center located in the brain.

Low body temperature in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy is often the result. The decrease in hemoglobin occurs due to the growing need for iron and vitamins B3 and B12, which do not come in sufficient quantities with food. Due to the decrease in the number of red blood cells, the intensity of metabolism and heat production decreases.

Another cause of a drop in body temperature in the middle or end of the childbearing period is gestational diabetes. The disease leads to impaired glucose metabolism, which leads to pathologies of thermoregulation.

Low body temperature does not directly affect the fetus. However, the listed diseases and conditions can provoke malnutrition of the unborn child, his growth and developmental delay.

When diagnosing a body temperature below 36.0 degrees for more than two days in a row, a woman should immediately seek medical help. The doctor will prescribe additional tests and instrumental methods of research that will help to make a diagnosis and choose a treatment.

High body temperature during pregnancy

Fever during pregnancy is almost always one of the symptoms of infectious and inflammatory diseases. This reaction is protective, since many pathogenic microorganisms cannot live and multiply with high heat exchange. An increase in body temperature occurs due to the activation of the center located in the medulla oblongata.

Quite often, infections are accompanied by other complaints. The most common of them are symptoms of general intoxication: dizziness, weakness, nausea, etc. Depending on the focus of the lesion, other complaints that are characteristic of certain diseases join the general complaints: abdominal pain, cough, blood in the urine, etc.

Any microorganism is conditionally dangerous for the fetus. Bacteria and viruses can cause the following negative reactions:

#one. congenital anomalies.

Even cold pathogens can cause fetal malformations. The earlier the infection occurs, the more serious the consequences for the unborn child. In the 1st trimester of pregnancy, there is a risk of such severe anomalies as the absence of a heart or kidney, underdevelopment of the brain, and an increase in the number of limbs. Quite often they lead to intrauterine death of the fetus. In later pregnancy, microorganisms cause less severe malformations that are compatible with life. The most dangerous agents are the causative agents of TORCH infections - toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes.

#2. Decreased blood supply to the placenta.

Due to the development of oxygen starvation of the fetus, a delay in its growth and development, pathology of the central nervous system is formed.

#3. Placental abruption.

This pathology is manifested by bleeding from the vagina and pulling pains in the lower abdomen. Without medical assistance, placental abruption ends in the death of the fetus.

#4. Increased uterine tone.

Some bacteria and viruses synthesize antibodies that affect the smooth muscles of human internal organs. Due to this, the uterus begins to spontaneously contract, which leads to miscarriage or premature birth.

#five. General intoxication.

The severe course of the disease affects the entire body of the expectant mother. With infections, the cardiovascular, urinary, digestive, and respiratory systems can suffer, which will lead to a decrease in fetal nutrition.

High fever treatment

In no case should you self-treat for infectious diseases during pregnancy. The doctor must make an accurate diagnosis, assess the need for treatment and select. Many medications are contraindicated during the period of bearing a child, so their independent selection can lead to unpredictable consequences.

In most cases, subfebrile temperature should not be brought down, as it helps the mother's body fight infection. Temperature readings above 38.0 degrees almost always require intervention.

Among the non-drug methods for treating elevated body temperature, one of the most famous is tea with a variety of additives. , lemon, lemon balm, raspberries and other products have antiseptic properties, strengthen the immune system, supply the mother's body with vitamins.

Also, the expectant mother should drink as much clean cool water as possible. It causes sweating, which lowers body temperature. Wiping with cool water is useful, cooling the skin of a woman.

Treatment of SARS in pregnant women:


Medical treatment is extremely limited during pregnancy. The safest are Paracetamol preparations, which in the course of studies did not cause congenital anomalies of the fetus. However, these drugs should not be taken for more than 3-5 days in a row, as they contribute to impaired kidney and liver function.

In the absence of the effect of Paracetamol, the doctor may prescribe more serious drugs. Nurofen is a modern remedy that not only reduces body temperature, but also relieves pain and inflammation. However, this medication is prohibited from taking from 30 to 40 weeks of pregnancy. Nurofen affects the smooth muscles of the uterus and, when taken in the 3rd trimester, can provoke pathologies of labor.

Celecoxib preparations are one of the strongest remedies for fever. However, medications should not be used in the third trimester of pregnancy. At earlier dates, their admission is possible only if there are serious indications.

Acetylsalicylic acid preparations are strictly prohibited in early pregnancy, as they increase the likelihood of developmental abnormalities in the unborn child. Also, drugs of this group cannot be used in the third trimester of the gestation period due to their effect on labor and the cardiovascular system of the fetus. The drugs can be used from 14 to 28 weeks, but even at this time they are not advisable to take, since there are more effective and safer analogues.

Disease prevention

To prevent infection of the expectant mother, immunity should be increased. To do this, she is recommended to engage in light sports - feasible gymnastics, swimming, badminton, etc. Also, a pregnant woman should walk a lot in the fresh air, avoid strong physical exertion and stress.

To strengthen the immunity of the expectant mother, you should take a responsible approach to planning your diet. It should include a sufficient amount of proteins, vitamins and minerals. Several times a week, a pregnant woman should eat lean meat, fish, fresh vegetables, fruits and berries. If necessary, the expectant mother can take vitamin complexes.

Also, a pregnant woman should reduce the likelihood of infection. To do this, she is recommended to ventilate the room in which she is, not to contact with sick people, dress warmly, and not sit under a draft, fan and air conditioner. If possible, she should avoid public places, especially in the autumn-winter period.

A woman who is expecting a baby is advised to carefully follow the rules of hygiene. Upon arrival home, the expectant mother should thoroughly wash her hands and wash her face with soap. It is advisable to rinse the mouth with an antibacterial rinse. During pregnancy, you should not touch animals that can be carriers of infections.

No matter how much a woman loves herself, she never in her life shows so much attention and care to her health as during pregnancy. Some of us actually begin to truly care for ourselves for the first time only after learning that a new life has arisen under the heart. Any disease, one way or another, affects the course of pregnancy and the development of the fetus. The greatest danger is the high temperature in (especially in 1-3 weeks from conception) and after the 30th week of pregnancy, when the main organs of the baby are laid and when the placenta begins to age. That is why doctors warn: try not to get sick while you are carrying a baby.

But in fact, few people manage to go through this path without a hitch. The immunity of the expectant mother naturally decreases from the very beginning of pregnancy, and the woman worries all the time so as not to catch the virus. As soon as the body temperature rises during pregnancy, she immediately panics and begins to diagnose herself.

Most worries are caused by subfebrile temperature (36.8-37.5), which is maintained for a long period of time. After all, often the reason for this phenomenon is unknown to the expectant mother.

Do not rush to sound the alarm. If you are only concerned about the mark on the thermometer, then most likely the fever during pregnancy is your body's reaction to the development of the fetus.

"Hormonal warming"

Many women find out that they are pregnant just by this symptom. A slight increase in body temperature can be accompanied by mild malaise, drowsiness, and even nasal congestion in early pregnancy. It often seems to newly-made pregnant women that they are about to get sick, but the condition does not worsen. All these are the first signs of pregnancy that occur due to hormonal changes in the mother's body.

From the moment of conception, the female body begins to intensively produce progesterone. It directly affects the thermoregulatory center of the brain. As a result, heat transfer decreases, due to which the body temperature rises slightly (heat simply does not leave it). First of all, these changes are noticed by women planning pregnancy and measuring.

Subfebrile temperature during pregnancy most often lasts during the first trimester, then gradually decreases. But there are times when this period is somewhat delayed.

Time to see a doctor

However, fever during pregnancy is not always physiological in nature, that is, it is safe for the fetus and mother. Doctors say that its strong increase should not be allowed, because not only your body is warming up, but also the environment surrounding the child, which can lead to damage to its tissues or the development of defects in the central nervous system, as well as cause or. In addition, at high temperatures, a woman's blood vessels dilate - and blood pressure decreases, which leads to insufficient blood flow to the placenta.

If the mercury column of the thermometer has overcome the mark of 38 degrees, then it's time to take action.

First of all, it is necessary to find out what is the reason for such an increase in temperature. During pregnancy, most often "guilty" - and. But exacerbation of other diseases, including chronic ones, is also not excluded.

If, along with an elevated body temperature, you experience pain, discomfort, severe malaise, or obvious signs of certain diseases, then you should consult a doctor immediately, without waiting for a significant increase in temperature.

Also, the temperature can rise when, which is very dangerous for a woman's health.

Some diseases can even be hidden, without any characteristic symptoms. This is, in particular, tuberculosis. However, if you do not neglect scheduled examinations and hand over everything on time, then there is no reason for concern. But it is better to play it safe and go to the doctor if you have any suspicions or concerns.

How to bring down the temperature during pregnancy?

However, in the vast majority of cases, fever during pregnancy is a sign of the flu or. And the treatment used during this period should first be non-drug. This applies to sore throat, and cough, and weakness, and temperature. As a last resort, you can drink Paracetamol in a children's dosage, after consulting with your doctor about this. But Aspirin during pregnancy and preparations containing it should never be taken.

An “extreme case” during pregnancy is considered to be an increase in temperature to 38 degrees (and in recent weeks - up to 37.5) and above, a rapid rise in temperature, a persistent temperature retention at high levels, despite non-drug therapy, as well as during pregnancy.

But first you need to try to lower the temperature with folk remedies: by drinking plenty of warm water in the first place. At the same time, keep in mind that it is not recommended to drink sour drinks and milk at a high temperature (viburnum, raspberries, lemons, etc. are useful only for colds without an increase in temperature or with a slight heat). The best choice would be teas with linden, lemon balm.

You can undress and wipe yourself with water at room temperature if the procedure does not cause you discomfort. No vinegar and vodka can be used in this case, as well as cold compresses on the forehead area - these manipulations can worsen your condition.

At elevated temperatures, it is not recommended to dress and wrap up too warmly so as not to impede heat transfer. Try to observe bed rest, relax more and maintain an optimal microclimate in your bedroom.

From now on, take care of increasing immunity so that once again you do not have to worry about diseases. Be healthy!

Especially for- Elena Kichak

Maria Sokolova


Reading time: 7 minutes

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Everyone knows about the changes that occur with a woman in a position: breasts increase, weight increases, the belly is rounded, tastes, desires and mood change, and so on. The list of such changes can also include an increase in body temperature, which scares expectant mothers.

Is this symptom normal, and is it necessary to panic if the mercury column of the thermometer “creeped” over 37?

What body temperature during pregnancy should be normal

In any case, there is no need to panic! The nervous system must be protected in a normal situation, and if you are in a position, then the excitement is generally superfluous.

So, what do you need to know about the temperature values ​​​​of a pregnant woman?

In the early stages of gestation mild subfebrile condition is the norm. Of course, in the absence of other accompanying symptoms.

And the preservation of the elevated temperature regime will last up to 4 months.

during this period may have the following indicators:

  • At 3 weeks: 37-37.7.
  • At the 4th week: 37.1-37.5.
  • On the 5-12th week: from 37 and not higher than 38.

If subfebrile condition is replaced by an increase in temperature above 38 and the appearance of new symptoms, then there is a reason call a doctor .

Causes of an increase in body temperature in a pregnant woman in the early and late stages

An increase in body temperature to 37 degrees - and even higher - is due to very specific reasons.

  1. First of all, increased production of progesterone. It is this hormone that is responsible for the preservation of the fetal egg after conception. It also affects the thermoregulatory center in the brain.
  2. The second cause of subfebrile condition is immunosuppression. Or physiological suppression of immunity to contain it (to avoid affecting the fetus as a foreign body).

Usually subfebrile condition is a phenomenon characteristic of the first trimester. Sometimes it "clings" the fourth month, and for some mothers it ends only after childbirth.

And yet, most mothers forget about fever after the 2nd trimester, and the causes of subfebrile condition in the later stages are slightly different:

  • Temperature jump before childbirth: slight fever and chills, like.
  • The use of anesthetics . For example, after treatment at the dentist.
  • Exacerbation of a chronic disease.
  • viral disease . For example, a seasonal cold.
  • Infection of the placenta or amniotic fluid. The most dangerous option, which is fraught with both premature birth and fetal hypoxia.
  • Psychological moment . Excitement is a natural state for a future mother. And nervousness is often reflected in the body by an increase in temperature (usually without the addition of other symptoms).

When an increase is associated with a disease, how to understand this?

The expectant mother, as you know, is not only not immune from diseases during pregnancy, but is also at risk: she must be protected from any potential opportunities to catch a cold, sore throat, intestinal "byaka" or other trouble.

It is not always possible to resist diseases, and the first signal in this case is (most often) the temperature.

When is fever during pregnancy a reason to see a doctor?

  1. The temperature jumps above 38 gr.
  2. Subfebrile condition is observed even in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters.
  3. The temperature is accompanied by additional symptoms - sweating, headache and nausea, chills, gastrointestinal upset, etc.

Among the most "popular" causes of fever in expectant mothers are:

  • SARS and flu. With these diseases, the temperature usually jumps above 38, and can reach 39 and above. Additional symptoms: aching joints and chills, runny nose and cough (optional), severe weakness, etc.
  • Diseases of the respiratory system (pharyngitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, tonsillitis, etc.). An increase in temperature is usually observed for the first 2-3 days, and then weakness and severe cough, sore throat are distinguished from the symptoms.
  • thyrotoxicosis. This reason for the increase in temperature is associated with the thyroid gland and is due to a violation of its work. In addition to a possible increase in temperature (up to 38 degrees), there may be a strong appetite with weight loss, tearfulness, anxiety and irritability.
  • Problems of the genitourinary system. With cystitis or pyelonephritis, in addition to temperature (the temperature of an inflammatory nature usually rises in the evening), there is pain in the lower back or in the lower abdomen, difficulty urinating, a feeling of a “brick” in the lower back.
  • Intestinal infection. Sometimes it "slips" almost imperceptibly in the form of mild nausea. And sometimes the poisoning becomes very severe and can be dangerous not only for the baby, but also for the mother - in this case, urgent hospitalization is indicated. Symptoms include fever and fever, loose stools, abdominal pain, vomiting, etc.

Pregnancy is most vulnerable to these (and other) diseases in the 1st trimester. Indeed, during the first three months, not only a disease, but also most medications can provoke a miscarriage.

Therefore, an increase in temperature is an unambiguous reason for visits to the doctor .

Is high body temperature dangerous during pregnancy - all the risks

In the first trimester, mild natural subfebrile condition is not at all dangerous for the mother and fetus. The danger increases along with the increase in the mercury column to a value of 38 and above.

The main risks of high temperature for mother and fetus:

  1. Increased tone of the uterus.
  2. Inhibition of the process of fetal development.
  3. The development of defects in the systems and organs of the fetus.
  4. The appearance of problems with the brain, limbs and skeleton of the face of the fetus - with prolonged high temperature.
  5. Violation of the blood supply to the placenta and fetal hypoxia.
  6. miscarriage or premature birth.
  7. Development of dysfunction of the cardiovascular system.
  8. etc.

What to do with an increase in body temperature of a pregnant woman - first aid

Naturally elevated temperature in the first months of pregnancy, in the absence of additional symptoms, does not require a decrease. If the temperature indicators exceeded 37.5 in the later stages, or tend to 38 in the early stages, you should consult a doctor.

If the doctor is delayed, or is not available at all, one should call an ambulance, call a brigade at home , explain the situation and follow the recommendations in order to slightly contain the increase in body temperature until the ambulance arrives.

  • Prescribe your own medications.
  • Drink aspirin (note - for expectant mothers, aspirin is prohibited due to the risk of bleeding).

Usually, the doctor prescribes drugs from the paracetamol series, viburkol or panadol suppositories.

But the treatment in any case will depend on each specific case and the cause of the fever.

Of the safe folk methods for lowering the temperature, they usually use:

  1. Plentiful drink. For example, cranberry fruit drinks, tea with raspberries, milk with honey, etc.
  2. Wiping with a wet towel.
  3. Wet compresses on the forehead.

Remember that during pregnancy you need to pay special attention to your health, and discuss even minor (in your opinion) problems with your doctor.


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