Body Temperature During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a special time for every mother-to-be. This is especially the case for women who are expecting their first child. This can lead to a lot of anxiety as they are not sure of what changes to expect in the body. One such factor that can lead to a lot of confusion is the body temperature. The temperature of the body sees a slight increase during pregnancy for various reasons.

Changes in the Body Temperature of a Pregnant Lady
First let us try to understand right from the start how there is a change in the body temperature during the course of pregnancy. Right from the time women start trying for conception they keep a track of their basal body temperature. This is because a woman's basal body temperature is somewhere between 96.0 and 97.5 degrees Fahrenheit just before ovulation. Right after ovulation however, the temperature of the body spikes by around .4 to .6 degrees. This is the period when the woman is most fertile. If there is fertilization and resultant conception in this period, then the woman is pregnant. Hence, if your basal body temperature remains raised even two weeks after ovulation, then this means that you are pregnant, as a slightly raised temperature is one of the early pregnancy symptoms before missed period.

So, why is the basal body temperature slightly on the higher side? There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, during pregnancy, the metabolic rate of the body increases. This is because the body now has to take care of the mother and the fetus. This results in an increase in the amount of activity in the body, which results in a slightly elevated temperature. Furthermore, the hormones during pregnancy also lead to changes in the body like hot flashes, which are commonly experienced during pregnancy. This also leads to an increase in the body temperature.

Abnormalities in the Body Temperature
A slightly low body temperature during pregnancy is not necessarily an alarming sign. However, as during pregnancy, the body temperature is already on the higher side, one needs to take as many precautions as possible to ensure that the body temperature does not rise any further. A temperature of more than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit needs to be reported to your health care provider and a temperature of more than 102 degrees Fahrenheit needs to be considered an emergency. This is because a temperature of anywhere around or higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit poses a potential threat to the developing fetus, by retarding the baby's development or decreasing the amount of blood available to the baby, causing pre-term contractions. The body temperature can be raised in cases where the mother develops fever, does very strenuous exercises, does not stay hydrated during summer, etc. The mother needs to keep all these points in mind and ensure that she takes adequate measures to keep her body temperature in check. This can be done by drinking plenty of fluids so as to remain hydrated, wearing loose fitting clothing and by avoiding outdoor exercises when there is excess of heat and humidity.

You also need to make sure that the temperature you are measuring is accurate. For this, use a basal thermometer and ideally, measure your body temperature first thing in the morning, before you get up from your bed. This way, you can keep a track of your body temperature and thus ensure that all is well for you and your little one.