Hot Flashes During Pregnancy: Causes, Symptoms And Remedies

Random hot flashes during pregnancy may feel like a volcano erupting inside your body. The hot flushes trail for seconds or minutes to the face, neck, and legs. Hormonal changes are the main cause of hot flashes during early pregnancy.

Ice cube and lying under the fan are the most relaxing remedies for hot flashes. The fluctuations of hormones and changes in body temperature begin from implantation.

So, one can expect that hot flashes early pregnancy can even start before missed period.

Hot Flashes During Pregnancy: Causes, Symptoms And Remedies
Hot Flashes During Pregnancy: Causes, Symptoms And Remedies

What do hot flashes during pregnancy feel like?

Some women say that it feels like hot waves spreading through your body. Hot flashes can start from your head region or baby bump. The duration of hot flashes also varies from a few seconds to 5 minutes.

Some women also report hot flashes in legs during pregnancy. Restless leg syndrome or pregnancy leg cramps are the cause. Hot flashes in the face during pregnancy comes after the heat radiates from the other parts.

Though the burning is unpleasant, doesn’t lead any rashes or inflammation. When you see symptoms like rashes, it means that it is something other than hot flushes.

What are symptoms of hot flashes during pregnancy?

You’ll feel like you are near a furnace or under the sun. Sweating and palpitations are symptoms of hot flashes. You may have a red face and dizziness. Apart from feeling the heat all over, you may even pass out. Increased heart rate and restlessness may mimic anxiety during pregnancy.

Are Hot flashes a symptom of pregnancy?

Some women experience hot flashes as a pregnancy symptom. There can be a difference in the location or intensity of hot flashes. Hot flashes and heart racing during pregnancy is common during later stages.

Anxiety and depression during pregnancy are causes of intense hot flashes during pregnancy. The disturbed state of mind affects the temperature regulation of the body.

Along with it, the medications such an antidepressant are also causes of hot flashes in pregnant women. Early signs of pregnancy include hot flashes and increased heart rate or palpitations. But they are not primary symptoms of pregnancy.

A woman, who is having menopause or has undergone some surgery, can have hot flashes. The rise in hormones and changes taking place in body cause weird pregnancy symptoms.

Hot flashes and palpitations during pregnancy may also be indicating that labor is near. Some complications can lead to increased hot flashes during pregnancy. Hot flashes and passing out during pregnancy is not common.

If you have constantly high temperature, dizziness and hot flashes during pregnancy then you must seek medical advice.

Hot flashes and back pain during pregnancy is more common towards the end of pregnancy. 

A sign of labor and early pregnancy symptom, hot flush has very few causes. Only about 1 in 10 pregnant women have a noticeable problem. Rest either don’t have it during pregnancy or don’t realize it enough.

Causes of hot flashes during pregnancy

Hot flashes during pregnancy are because of changes in estrogen level.

1) Changes in estrogen

The post menopausal women have fluctuations in estrogen and have hot flashes. Pregnancy hormones change during the course of trimesters, estrogen is one of the most important pregnancy hormones.

2) Increased body temperature

During early pregnancy, body temperature rises and falls. Later on, the body temperature does return to normal but keeps fluctuating. The energy consuming processes lead to an increase in body heat.

3) High blood pressure

Women who have gestational hypertension or high blood pressure during pregnancy tend to have more episodes of hot flashes. The increased flow of blood to the skin tissues gives a red tinge and heats them up.

4) Overweight

When the woman who is pregnant is obese, then her body tends to produce more heat. Along with that, extra weight gained during pregnancy also increases the chance of getting pregnant.

5) Anxiety and depression 

The prescriptions and mental imbalance of hormones causes hot flashes. They can happen in any part of the body, even lower body.

6) Insomnia

Not having enough sleep, leads to changes in the body metabolism. The production of body heat that spreads everywhere is the ultimate cause.

7) Eating a lot of carbohydrates and spicy food

Diet during pregnancy plays a vital role in controlling the intensity of hot flashes during pregnancy. When your diet consists of junk or extra carbs, it is more likely that you’ll be suffering from hot flushes. Eating cool food such as cucumbers and taking in fluids helps to lower down body heat.

8) Dehydration

Lack of enough fluids in your body and state of dehydration can lead to hot flashes. Water acts as a cooling agent and also means to circulate the hormones.

9) Spaced meals

Another factor is when you allow your body to fall into low blood sugar state and then take a large meal. The level of sugar shooting up and down is not a healthy lifestyle. The state of distress arising in both conditions is another reason for hot flashes.

10) Fertility treatments

IVF or other fertility treatments utilize drugs to help you conceive. These drugs may be steroidal and can elevate body heat. Hot flashes early pregnancy IVF is a common problem that your doctors will tell you beforehand. They may give you vitamin D supplements as a precautionary measure for hot flashes.

Do you get hot flashes during pregnancy?

Some women worry about hot flashes as being a sign of mishap. However, hot flashes do not harm or indicate anything of that sort.

If the bun is fine in the oven, then you have to feel comfortable being one! One can have them even after delivery of the baby.

Are hot flashes normal during pregnancy?

You may and may not get hot flashes. If you follow the ways to avoid hot flashes, then you may never experience them.

Generally, a pregnant woman has a higher energy demand and so her body heat increases. But you need to notice the changes in your body temperature if they persist for long. Fever and hot flashes have many differences.

Hot flashes during pregnancy are normal episodes of increase in body heat and are reversed later. Fever, on the other hand, is because of some abnormal state.

What do hot flashes during pregnancy mean?

It’s a common myth that hot flashes are related to pregnancy gender. It is possible that many people predicted something or it was coincident that their predictions were true. After all, there is a 50-50 chance for either boy or girl.

Hot flashes during pregnancy indicating a boy or girl is not proven. However, some consider that when a pregnant woman has a lot of hot flashes she may be having a girl.

Hot flashes in pregnancy mean nothing but the fact that your body is having a hard time adjusting the temperature. You can’t cool down because you need all those vital processes, and cannot raise the temperature permanently. The heat liberation phases are only meant to spread the body heat intermittently. Hot flashes during pregnancy in cases of twins are more plausible.

Hot flashes during pregnancy third trimester

Hot flashes during pregnancy 38 weeks are a sign of labor to happen soon. Hot flashes in late pregnancy can be a sign of labor.

Hot flashes as a sign of labor is due to an increase in oxytocin and change of hormone ratios.

Oxytocin induces muscles activity and hot flushes can be because of increased activity. When you have hot flashes contractions during pregnancy, there is a lot of sweating.

Hot flashes and cramps during pregnancy can also be an impending miscarriage. You must never ignore when you have hot flashes and stomach pain.

Hot flashes early pregnancy miscarriage is common because at that stage the hormonal changes are aggressive. At times a pregnant woman may ignore the miscarriage symptoms as hot flashes and sweating.

How long do hot flashes last after pregnancy?

It is true that hot flashes continue postpartum and more commonly experienced than other symptoms. The body heat scales up during breastfeeding. A nursing mother has an even higher energy requirement than a pregnant woman. And thus the production of body heat increases. The new kind of hormones including prolactin and oxytocin is another roller coaster the mother’s body has to endure.

What are the cures of hot flashes during pregnancy?

Remedies for hot flashes during pregnancy include making changes in lifestyle. You need to keep your cool to stay cool. Anxiety and panic during pregnancy are natural but need to be consciously avoided.

Home remedies for hot flashes during pregnancy have steps like eating food rich in vitamin D and staying hydrated.

  1. Wear cotton clothes: Light and loose clothes keep you cool and avoid feeling suffocated. Some clothes tend to make you feel uncomfortable and the stress outbursts as hot flashes.
  1. Drink lots of water: Staying hydrated makes it easy for the body to maintain basal temperature. Dehydration is a cause of hot flushes. You can even place a wet cloth on your forehead to cure hot flashes. Applying ice on your wrists or body also treats the condition.
  1. Avoid spicy food: Eating spicy food raises body heat. During pregnancy, you don’t have to eat lots of food. There is nothing as eating for two. You must include everything in your diet such as vital vitamins.
  1. Opt out from going to crowded areas: Some women tend to feel the heat when they are amongst a lot of people. This is not restricted to going out in bustling streets. You can even feel suffocated in an elevator.
  1. Take more than one shower a day: Whenever you are more likely to have an episode of having a hot flash, opt for a shower. Some women have hot flashes at night. They must take a bath before sleeping.
  1. Sleep in a clean, cozy bed: Sleeping uncomfortably all night doesn’t allow you to be at peace. Even having an extra pillow can trouble you the entire night. It is best to first clean your bed and then sleep on clean covers.
  1. Maintain a steady weight pattern: During pregnancy weight gain is normal but fluctuations are not. You must exercise and prevent gaining weight suddenly. The gradual increase in weight will also help you to stay healthy and have a smooth pregnancy journey.
  1. Don’t stress yourself: Even when you are having an episode of hot flashes, avoid panic. The more adrenaline your body pumps, the worse the situation gets. Do breathing exercises during hot flashes.
  1. Always have some hot flash remedy at hand: Table fans or an ice pack or your favorite juice are instant remedies for hot flashes. You need to keep things handy. When you are going out somewhere, take a bag with all such things.
  1. Eat foods that are rich in vitamin D: Vitamin D supplements and cholesterol are important for sex hormones. The main hormone responsible for hot flashes estrogen too needs vitamin D. Studies showed that having vitamin D supplements relieved hot flashes.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here