Introduction
Hot flushes during pregnancy are sudden outbreaks of sweating. This leads to strong feelings of heat, sometimes without a specific trigger. These hot flushes often occur during pregnancy, but can also occur during the nursing period. The hot flushes during pregnancy are unpleasant for most people, but they are not dangerous for the unborn child or the expectant mother.
How and why do hot flashes occur during pregnancy?
The hot flushes during pregnancy are due to the many changes in the hormonal control cycles in the body. The hormonal changes occasionally cause changes in the perception of temperature. In addition, during an acute heat attack, the skin is suddenly strongly supplied with blood.
This is caused by a dilatation of the blood vessels. As a result, the skin becomes very warm, and a spotty or extensive reddening of the skin can also occur. In addition, the hot flush causes sweating, as this mechanism allows the body to cool down best.
In addition to the changing hormone levels, there is another cause of hot flushes during pregnancy: the pregnant woman’s metabolism adapts to the increased nutrient requirements of the child and the maternal body. This results in an increased intake of food. When processing the nutrients, the body produces heat as a waste product, so to speak. This is why hot flushes can also occur during pregnancy due to the strongly stimulated metabolism.
When do hot flashes occur during pregnancy?
Hot flushes in pregnancy are more likely to occur in the second half, or more precisely in the second and third trimesters. During this time the hormones change particularly strongly. In addition, the child needs more and more nutrients with increasing size, which is why the metabolism of pregnant women must become more active.
Due to the growing pregnancy belly, especially in summer, the symptoms can become even worse, so that stronger hot flushes occur as the pregnancy progresses. As hormones and metabolism also play an important role immediately after pregnancy, hot flushes can continue for a while after giving birth. This is especially true during the time when breastfeeding is still taking place.
- 1st trimester
- 2nd trimester
- 3rd trimester
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