Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHot FlashesCausesOnsetCopingWhen to See a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Hot Flashes
Causes
Onset
Coping
When to See a Provider
Hot flashesin early pregnancy are completely normal and quite common, although not all people will experience them. While generally associated withmenopause, hot flashes will affect over one-third of pregnant people during the course of theirpregnancy.
These heat sensations on the skin or feelings of excessive warmth mainly affect the face, neck, and chest. A person experiencing a hot flash may sweat profusely and their skin may go red. These hot flashes aren’t typically a health concern but they can cause discomfort.
This article discusses the causes of hot flashes and presents other early pregnancy symptoms you may encounter. It offers some tips on how to cope with your hot flash symptoms.
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Are Hot Flashes a Sign of Early Pregnancy?
Hot flashes can appear at any point in a person’s pregnancy.
While they typically peak during the third trimester, one study examined how they appeared throughout pregnancy and found that within the first 20 weeks, as many as 18% of people developed hot flashes.
In total, 35% of people reported hot flashes at some point throughout their pregnancy, and 29% experienced them after delivery.
Other early signs of pregnancy include:
Early Pregnancy SymptomsApart from hot flashes, early signs of pregnancy can include a missed period and frequent urination. You also may experience breast tenderness, fatigue, and nausea and vomiting.
Early Pregnancy Symptoms
Apart from hot flashes, early signs of pregnancy can include a missed period and frequent urination. You also may experience breast tenderness, fatigue, and nausea and vomiting.
What Causes Hot Flashes in Pregnancy?
When a person becomes pregnant, their levels ofestrogenandprogesteronechange to support healthy fetal development. The hormonal fluctuations drive hot flashes in some people.
Other processes may be at work, too. Estrogen is known to act on thehypothalamusgland, which acts as a hub in controlling body temperature. Hot flashes also appear to occur alongside spikes ofluteinizinghormone(LH), produced in the pituitary gland.
These sex hormones play a role in how blood flows throughout the body and how temperature is regulated, which may contribute to hot flashes that occur during pregnancy.
Is It Safe?
However, overheating while you are pregnant can be dangerous. Research has found that heat stress during pregnancy can lead to issues with thespinal cordand backbone development of the fetus.
Heat and PregnancyOverheating during pregnancy can lead to birth defects. Because of this, pregnant people should avoid doing things that could cause their body to overheat, such as sitting in a hot bath or sauna for longer than 20 minutes.Spending time outdoors on extremely hot days should also be limited or avoided altogether.
Heat and Pregnancy
Overheating during pregnancy can lead to birth defects. Because of this, pregnant people should avoid doing things that could cause their body to overheat, such as sitting in a hot bath or sauna for longer than 20 minutes.Spending time outdoors on extremely hot days should also be limited or avoided altogether.
How Early Do Hot Flashes in Pregnancy Start?
Hot flashes can begin in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. In some cases, they may be one of the first signs. However, they can occur during all points of pregnancy and typically peak during the third trimester.
Postpartum hot flashes have also been documented. They are typically at their worst two weeks following birth.
Can Hot Flashes Tell You You’re Pregnant?While hot flashes can be an early sign of pregnancy, they don’t occur in all pregnant people. Roughly 18% of pregnant people will experience hot flashes in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Can Hot Flashes Tell You You’re Pregnant?
While hot flashes can be an early sign of pregnancy, they don’t occur in all pregnant people. Roughly 18% of pregnant people will experience hot flashes in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Tips for Coping With Hot Flashes During Pregnancy
Hot flashes are unpleasant, so if you are pregnant, developing effective coping strategies will help you get through them.
Hot flashes during pregnancy can be managed the same way as menopausal hot flashes. To cope with them, you can:
Medication to Help With Hot Flashes
Ways to Relieve Menopausal Hot Flashes
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Hot flashes usually do not require a trip to your healthcare provider. However, you should make an appointment if you are experiencing afever. Fevers during pregnancy have been linked to negative health outcomes in the fetus and should be addressed as quickly as possible.
Summary
Hot flashes are periods of extreme heat localized to the upper body, mainly the face, neck, and chest. They cause feelings of excessive warmth, with possible reddening of the skin and excessive sweating.
To cope with hot flashes, you should stay hydrated, use an ice pack, carry a fan, and dress in layers. If the hot flashes are particularly bothersome, speak to your healthcare provider about other options.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Thurston RC, Luther JF, Wisniewski SR, Eng H, Wisner KL.Prospective evaluation of nighttime hot flashes during pregnancy and postpartum.Fertil Steril.2013;100(6):1667-1672. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.08.020Padilla SL, Johnson CW, Barker FD, Patterson MA, Palmiter RD.A Neural Circuit Underlying the Generation of Hot Flushes.Cell Rep. 2018 Jul 10;24(2):271-277. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2018.06.037.Barnes JN, Charkoudian N.Integrative cardiovascular control in women: Regulation of blood pressure, body temperature, and cerebrovascular responsiveness.FASEB J. 2021 Feb;35(2):e21143. doi:10.1096/fj.202001387R.Bansal R, Aggarwal N.Menopausal hot flashes: A concise review.J Midlife Health.2019;10(1):6-13. doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_7_19Avagliano L, Massa V, George TM, Qureshy S, Bulfamante GP, Finnell RH.Overview on neural tube defects: From development to physical characteristics.Birth Defects Res.2019;111(19):1455-1467. doi:10.1002/bdr2.1380Ravanelli N, Casasola W, English T, Edwards KM, Jay O.Heat stress and fetal risk-environmental limits for exercise and passive heat stress during pregnancy: a systematic review with best evidence synthesis.Br J Sports Med.2019;53(13):799-805. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097914National Institute on Aging.Hot flashes: what can I do?.Dreier JW, Andersen AM, Berg-Beckhoff G.Systematic review and meta-analyses: fever in pregnancy and health impacts in the offspring.Pediatrics.2014;133(3):e674-88. doi:10.1542/peds.2013-3205
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Thurston RC, Luther JF, Wisniewski SR, Eng H, Wisner KL.Prospective evaluation of nighttime hot flashes during pregnancy and postpartum.Fertil Steril.2013;100(6):1667-1672. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.08.020Padilla SL, Johnson CW, Barker FD, Patterson MA, Palmiter RD.A Neural Circuit Underlying the Generation of Hot Flushes.Cell Rep. 2018 Jul 10;24(2):271-277. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2018.06.037.Barnes JN, Charkoudian N.Integrative cardiovascular control in women: Regulation of blood pressure, body temperature, and cerebrovascular responsiveness.FASEB J. 2021 Feb;35(2):e21143. doi:10.1096/fj.202001387R.Bansal R, Aggarwal N.Menopausal hot flashes: A concise review.J Midlife Health.2019;10(1):6-13. doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_7_19Avagliano L, Massa V, George TM, Qureshy S, Bulfamante GP, Finnell RH.Overview on neural tube defects: From development to physical characteristics.Birth Defects Res.2019;111(19):1455-1467. doi:10.1002/bdr2.1380Ravanelli N, Casasola W, English T, Edwards KM, Jay O.Heat stress and fetal risk-environmental limits for exercise and passive heat stress during pregnancy: a systematic review with best evidence synthesis.Br J Sports Med.2019;53(13):799-805. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097914National Institute on Aging.Hot flashes: what can I do?.Dreier JW, Andersen AM, Berg-Beckhoff G.Systematic review and meta-analyses: fever in pregnancy and health impacts in the offspring.Pediatrics.2014;133(3):e674-88. doi:10.1542/peds.2013-3205
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Thurston RC, Luther JF, Wisniewski SR, Eng H, Wisner KL.Prospective evaluation of nighttime hot flashes during pregnancy and postpartum.Fertil Steril.2013;100(6):1667-1672. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.08.020Padilla SL, Johnson CW, Barker FD, Patterson MA, Palmiter RD.A Neural Circuit Underlying the Generation of Hot Flushes.Cell Rep. 2018 Jul 10;24(2):271-277. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2018.06.037.Barnes JN, Charkoudian N.Integrative cardiovascular control in women: Regulation of blood pressure, body temperature, and cerebrovascular responsiveness.FASEB J. 2021 Feb;35(2):e21143. doi:10.1096/fj.202001387R.Bansal R, Aggarwal N.Menopausal hot flashes: A concise review.J Midlife Health.2019;10(1):6-13. doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_7_19Avagliano L, Massa V, George TM, Qureshy S, Bulfamante GP, Finnell RH.Overview on neural tube defects: From development to physical characteristics.Birth Defects Res.2019;111(19):1455-1467. doi:10.1002/bdr2.1380Ravanelli N, Casasola W, English T, Edwards KM, Jay O.Heat stress and fetal risk-environmental limits for exercise and passive heat stress during pregnancy: a systematic review with best evidence synthesis.Br J Sports Med.2019;53(13):799-805. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097914National Institute on Aging.Hot flashes: what can I do?.Dreier JW, Andersen AM, Berg-Beckhoff G.Systematic review and meta-analyses: fever in pregnancy and health impacts in the offspring.Pediatrics.2014;133(3):e674-88. doi:10.1542/peds.2013-3205
Thurston RC, Luther JF, Wisniewski SR, Eng H, Wisner KL.Prospective evaluation of nighttime hot flashes during pregnancy and postpartum.Fertil Steril.2013;100(6):1667-1672. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.08.020
Padilla SL, Johnson CW, Barker FD, Patterson MA, Palmiter RD.A Neural Circuit Underlying the Generation of Hot Flushes.Cell Rep. 2018 Jul 10;24(2):271-277. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2018.06.037.
Barnes JN, Charkoudian N.Integrative cardiovascular control in women: Regulation of blood pressure, body temperature, and cerebrovascular responsiveness.FASEB J. 2021 Feb;35(2):e21143. doi:10.1096/fj.202001387R.
Bansal R, Aggarwal N.Menopausal hot flashes: A concise review.J Midlife Health.2019;10(1):6-13. doi:10.4103/jmh.JMH_7_19
Avagliano L, Massa V, George TM, Qureshy S, Bulfamante GP, Finnell RH.Overview on neural tube defects: From development to physical characteristics.Birth Defects Res.2019;111(19):1455-1467. doi:10.1002/bdr2.1380
Ravanelli N, Casasola W, English T, Edwards KM, Jay O.Heat stress and fetal risk-environmental limits for exercise and passive heat stress during pregnancy: a systematic review with best evidence synthesis.Br J Sports Med.2019;53(13):799-805. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097914
National Institute on Aging.Hot flashes: what can I do?.
Dreier JW, Andersen AM, Berg-Beckhoff G.Systematic review and meta-analyses: fever in pregnancy and health impacts in the offspring.Pediatrics.2014;133(3):e674-88. doi:10.1542/peds.2013-3205
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