When it comes to pregnancy, the body undergoes so many changes every month that sometimes mothers-to-be can forget what is considered normal for the season of life they are in. And given that there are precautions about women becoming too warm during pregnancy for fear of overheating, it can be a concern when the body suddenly feels like a furnace is inside it. This can lead to women wondering why they are feeling hot all the time during pregnancy.
From the beginning to the end of pregnancy, there are changes in body systems that help to support the development of the baby. However, when this happens, it can wreak havoc on a woman’s body. For many, it can lead to feeling like they are not living in their own body given how often the body transforms, which can lead to worry that symptoms being experienced are a sign that there is a problem with the pregnancy. One of those concerns can be with consistently feeling hot, especially if before expecting, feeling cold more often than not was the norm. And this can lead to questioning what caused the change to occur.
Here is why you are always hot during pregnancy.
Change In Basal Temperature
The average temperature for most women is 98.6 F. However, that temperature can vary with some running as low as 97.5 F or as high as 99 F, according to Cleveland Clinic.
When a woman becomes pregnant, the basal body temperature can go up as much as one degree for the duration of the pregnancy, according to Hello Motherhood! And as a result of this, the body can feel much warmer than it did prior to expecting.
When participating in physical activity, it is important to remember to keep the body under 102 degrees to keep from overheating, according to North Florida Women’s Care. As such, if the basal temperature is already on the higher side, that factor should be taken into consideration when it comes to the exertion levels during exercise should be done.
Hormonal Changes
When a woman is expecting, the levels of estrogen increase in the body to support the pregnancy as a whole. From preventing the body from miscarrying to helping with the development of the placenta and regulating the progesterone which helps the fetus to grow, estrogen is an extremely important hormone during pregnancy, according to Parenting FirstCry.
That change in hormone level, according to Healthline, also leads to a change in body temperature. As a result, when hormone levels are continuing to increase until the 32 weeks gestation, per Today’s Parent, the temperature levels will continue to rise when attributed to hormonal changes alone.
Increase In Blood Volume
During the early days of pregnancy, the amount of blood pumping through the body increases by 50 percent, according to VeryWell Family. As a result of the extra blood flowing through the veins and the vessels being enlarged, the temperature of the body rises.
As a result of the extra blood pumping through the body, the heartbeat begins to pump at a rate of 15 beats more per minute than it did prior to becoming pregnant, according to SteadyHealth. This means that the metabolism is sped up, which also leads to the body temperature rising.
The blood volume will continue to increase until nearly the end of pregnancy, at 36 weeks gestation. As a result of this, per VeryWell Family, not only will the body internally feel warmer than normal but to the touch, the skin will feel warmer as well.
Weight Gain
One of the most noticeable physical changes that come with pregnancy is weight gain. Be it a small or more significant amount, it all contributes to the body feeling warmer while expecting, having to carry around pounds that were not present before becoming pregnant.
While increasing fat from gaining too much weight can contribute to extra heat being exuded from the body during pregnancy, according to Healthline, it generally has more to do with body systems and the baby’s weight itself that causes the increased temperature from weight gain.
As the baby grows, he emits body heat of his own that supports his mental and physical development during pregnancy. As the baby continues to grow, the amount of heat emitted steadily grows. As such, as the baby grows and causes the mother-to-be to gain weight, more heat is being absorbed by the expecting woman. Not surprisingly, this leads to the feeling of being hot.
Outside of the baby growing causing weight gain, the body is also preparing itself to give birth, which leads to weight gain as well. The growing size of the placenta, breasts, uterus, and more, according to Perfect Health, all contribute to weight gain. And because of this, there is more strain on the body when having to walk around with the extra weight, which causes it to feel warmer from exuding energy to stay in motion.
For most women, feeling hot during pregnancy is completely normal. If concerned about the temperature change or if running a fever of 102 or more, contact your healthcare professional for their recommendations on any treatments that may be necessary.
Source: Cleveland Clinic, Hello Motherhood, North Florida Women’s Care, Parenting FirstCry, Today’s Parent, VeryWell Family, SteadyHealth, Perfect Health
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