Cold in pregnancy, among the first symptoms of gestation: causes and remedies
Cold during pregnancy can be one of the first symptoms of pregnancy itself. The hormonal changes that occur starting as early as the first week cause an increase in body temperature, which can lead to a state close to a slight fever, with chills and chills. But the cold in pregnancy can also occur in the following period, even in the last trimester and close to the birth. Here are some tips on how to deal with the changes in the body when you discover that you are pregnant:
Cold in pregnancy: one of the first symptoms of gestation
From the first weeks of pregnancy, some specific symptoms may occur, mainly due to the hormonal changes that the body of the expectant mother is facing. Every woman can feel the first symptoms of pregnancy in a more or less intense way, or not notice anything until the missed menstrual cycle, only to discover that she is pregnant only after taking the test!
Among the first symptoms of pregnancy that appear in the initial period of gestation we find tension and increase in breast volume, nausea and vomiting, a sense of tiredness and exhaustion, grastrointestinal disorders, altered taste and increased sensitivity to odors, mood swings, disturbances sleep, headache and back pain, hot flashes and, indeed, chills.
In the initial trimester these symptoms are due precisely to hormonal changes and, in particular, to the increase in progesterone. A pregnant woman will see her body temperature increase by about 0.5 degrees, and this increase will cause the feeling of cold in pregnancy, which they are. often associated with those chills that an expectant mother knows very well.
Cold during pregnancy is therefore one of the most common symptoms and shouldn't alarm you! Having said that, let's find out more closely what are the causes that cause it not only during the first months, but also in the following months, up to the immediate vicinity of childbirth, and the most suitable remedies to adopt.
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What are the causes of cold in pregnancy?
As anticipated, the main cause that causes cold during pregnancy is the normal increase in body temperature when pregnant, due to the "increase in the production of progesterone. This hormone is very important in helping the expectant mother's body to modify the" uterus and reproductive organs so that the future baby can develop at its best.
Progesterone acts directly on the thermoregulation centers located in our hypothalamus, causing the internal temperature to rise and the sensation of cold. In the first and second trimester of pregnancy, therefore, it will be completely normal to have chills (especially during the evening hours. ), while in the third quarter the temperature should drop again.
It is no coincidence, therefore, that the sensation of cold during pregnancy is accompanied by a mild fever, which settles (without rising or falling) around 37 degrees. It can also occur with enlarged lymph nodes. These are all symptoms of an ongoing pregnancy: there are not a few women who have realized they are pregnant even before the missed menstrual cycle starting from this kind of fever accompanied by chills!
If, on the other hand, the cold in pregnancy occurs close to childbirth, perhaps when there are just a few weeks or days to the birth of the newborn, you do not have to worry: even in this case, it is a completely normal phenomenon, an indication that the childbirth is approaching ... The cold, in these cases, may be due to the psychophysical stress that the expectant mother is experiencing.
Cold in pregnancy and superstition: how to guess the sex of the newborn
According to some beliefs, which is always good not to give too much credit, the more or less intense sensation of cold during pregnancy could give the expectant mother a clue about the sex of the unborn child. Tradition has it, in fact, that women who feel very cold during pregnancy are pregnant with a girl.
If, on the other hand, you do not feel particular chills, it is more likely that the future baby is a boy. All that remains is to wait for the ultrasound to justify or disprove this belief ...
How to fight the cold in pregnancy
To fight the cold during pregnancy, you can use very simple and effective natural remedies. The first is to indulge in a nice hot herbal tea (better to avoid tea and coffee). Ginger in particular can also be an excellent cure-all even if you suffer from nausea ... as they say, two birds with one stone!
Drinking broth or nice hot soups can also help keep you warm. You will also ingest many vitamins, fibers and minerals essential for your body's health and for your baby's development. Avoid cold drinks and foods instead. , which could aggravate the problem.
A good warm bath can also help you fight the cold during pregnancy. If you don't have a bath, treat yourself to a foot bath, it will also help blood circulation and bring you numerous benefits.
Winter pregnancy: how to fight the cold
If yours is a winter pregnancy and the cold you feel, trivially, is due to the outside climate, there are some tricks that can help you fight it. First of all, as we said before, take care of your diet by giving yourself all the vitamins and nutrients you and your baby need to stay healthy and strengthen your immune defenses, avoiding colds and flu.
Use loose and comfortable sweaters, wool cardigans and leggings: these are super-comfortable clothes, which you can easily wear even with your baby bump and that will warm you properly, without overdoing it in covering you too much.
If your gynecologist agrees, do some exercise: physical activity, however moderate, will help you warm up, as well as keep your body in shape in anticipation of childbirth. A yoga class will do just fine, but also a simple half-hour walk a day!
Finally, if you can, avoid sudden changes in temperature by going from places that are too cold to places that are too hot. These fluctuations, in most cases, can lead to flu symptoms that always generate some concern in the expectant mother.
