Does Your Temperature Rise When You Are Pregnant? | FAQ

Many people first ask does your temperature rise when you are pregnant after spotting a few higher thermometer readings or feeling oddly warm at rest. A small rise can be part of normal pregnancy, yet a high reading can point to infection or another problem that needs rapid care. Understanding the difference helps you stay calm, spot warning signs early, and decide when to phone your doctor or midwife.

Does Your Temperature Rise When You Are Pregnant? Normal Patterns

To answer does your temperature rise when you are pregnant clearly, it helps to separate normal changes from illness. Hormones after conception, especially progesterone, nudge your resting temperature up by a few tenths of a degree. Extra blood flow and a faster metabolism also make you feel warmer, flushed, or sweaty, even when your thermometer still reads in the normal range.

Most adults have a resting temperature between about 36.1°C and 37.2°C (97°F to 99°F) when measured in the mouth. During early pregnancy, basal body temperature, the reading you take first thing in the morning before you get out of bed, often rises by roughly 0.2°C to 0.5°C and stays there for many weeks because progesterone stays high.

Stage Or Factor	Typical Temperature Change	What You Might Notice
Before Ovulation	Lower basal readings, often 36.1–36.4°C	Body feels normal or even slightly cool on waking
After Ovulation	Basal temperature rises by about 0.2–0.5°C	Small shift on your chart over a few days
Early Pregnancy	Basal temperature stays in the higher band	Higher waking readings for more than two weeks
Second Trimester	Daytime temperature still normal or slightly raised	Warm face, more sweating, stuffy feeling
Third Trimester	Normal range, but heat builds up faster	Harder to tolerate warm rooms or hot weather
Exercise Or Hot Weather	Temporary rise that settles with rest and fluids	Flushed skin, mild dizziness, strong thirst
Fever Or Infection	Temperature at or above 38°C (100.4°F)	Shivers, aches, feeling unwell, possible rash

Normal pregnancy warmth grows out of hormonal shifts, extra blood volume, and your growing baby acting like a tiny heater. As long as readings stay under fever levels and you feel generally well, this pattern is usually harmless. True fever, on the other hand, sits above about 38°C and often comes with shivers, aches, or other clear signs of illness.

How Pregnancy Changes Heat And Blood Flow

Once you are pregnant, blood volume may increase by up to 40 to 50 percent over the course of the pregnancy. All that extra circulation brings more heat to your skin and organs. At the same time, progesterone relaxes smooth muscle, which can widen blood vessels and change how your body sheds heat.

Muscles and organs work harder as your heart rate and basic energy use rise. That extra work creates heat, similar to how a laptop warms up when several programs run at once. Many pregnant people notice flushed cheeks, warm hands, and a sense that crowded rooms feel stuffy even when others feel fine.

Basal Body Temperature And Early Pregnancy Clues

Some people track basal body temperature while trying to conceive. A sustained high pattern for more than two weeks after ovulation can be an early hint of pregnancy. Medical sources describe basal body temperature rising slightly after ovulation and staying higher when progesterone stays raised to help a new pregnancy.

This pattern on its own can not prove pregnancy. Home tests and a visit with your doctor or midwife give more reliable answers. Feverish readings or feeling very unwell never count as a normal basal shift and always deserve medical advice, even if you are hoping the pattern points to pregnancy.

Fever During Pregnancy And When To Worry

A low grade rise in temperature that stays under about 37.5°C, with no other symptoms, often links to normal hormonal change. A reading at or above 37.5°C that does not settle, or a reading above 38°C, can signal infection or another problem that needs a check.

Charities and health services that focus on pregnancy care note that a temperature above 37.5°C in pregnancy should prompt a call to your local maternity team, even if you feel mostly well. A high reading may point to hidden infection that needs treatment to protect both you and your baby.

Guidance from groups such as Tommy’s high temperature advice explains that high fever in pregnancy can sometimes link to urinary infections, flu, or other conditions that raise risk for complications. Prompt treatment usually brings the temperature back down and lowers risk for both parent and baby.

Typical Fever Warning Signs In Pregnancy

Watch the pattern rather than a single random reading. A lone slightly high number after a hot bath or walk outside on a warm day may not matter much. Repeated readings at or above 37.5°C, especially with symptoms, deserve a call to a health professional.

• Temperature at or above 37.5°C that repeats over several hours
• Chills, shaking, or sweating that feels out of proportion to the room
• Headache, muscle aches, or a new cough
• Burning or pain when passing urine
• New rash, neck stiffness, or shortness of breath
• Pain in the lower abdomen or back
• Reduced baby movements in later pregnancy

If any of these appear, phone your doctor, midwife, or local urgent care service the same day. Go straight to emergency care if you feel faint, confused, struggle to breathe, or have severe pain with a high temperature.

Tracking Your Temperature Safely At Home

Home thermometers give useful clues when you feel unwell or warmer than usual. They work best when you use the same method each time. Oral thermometers under the tongue are common. Ear and forehead devices can also be accurate when used according to the maker’s instructions.

Pick one method and stick with it so you can compare readings over time. Take readings at roughly the same time of day, in similar conditions. Avoid hot drinks, cold drinks, smoking, or exercise for at least 30 minutes before an oral reading, because they can raise or lower the number for a short spell.

Basal Temperature Charting During Pregnancy

Some people continue basal charting into early pregnancy, especially if they started while trying to conceive. Medical overviews, such as NCT guidance on high body temperature, note that basal readings usually stay in a higher band when progesterone stays up to help early pregnancy.

If you enjoy tracking data, treat the numbers as background information rather than the main way to judge health. Any sharp jump in temperature, or readings in the fever range, matter more than small day to day bumps on the chart.

Situation	Temperature Pattern	Suggested Action
Feeling Warm But Reading Under 37.5°C	Stable numbers, mild flushing or sweating	Drink water, rest, wear light layers
Reading 37.5–37.9°C Once	Raised number after activity or hot room	Cool down, retest in one to two hours
Reading 37.5–37.9°C Repeated	Several raised readings with or without symptoms	Call your midwife or doctor the same day
Reading At Or Above 38°C	Clear fever, often with aches or chills	Seek medical review urgently
High Temperature With Severe Symptoms	Fever plus chest pain, confusion, or strong pain	Go to emergency care or call emergency services
Fever That Does Not Settle	Stays high even after rest and approved medicine	Urgent check in hospital may be needed
Fever Alongside Reduced Baby Movements	High readings with fewer kicks or rolls	Call maternity triage straight away

Practical Ways To Stay Comfortable And Cool

Normal pregnancy warmth can make daily life uncomfortable, especially in warm seasons or crowded spaces. Simple habits can help you manage heat and lower stress on your body.

Hydration And Clothing Choices

Drink water regularly through the day so your body can sweat and cool itself. Keep a refillable bottle nearby at home and when you go out. Light, breathable fabrics, loose sleeves, and layers you can remove make a clear difference to comfort.

At night, a fan, cotton sheets, and breathable sleepwear can cut down on night sweats. Some people find a cool shower before bed or a lukewarm foot bath helps them settle more easily.

Managing Hot Weather And Indoor Heat

Limit time outdoors during the hottest hours, usually late morning to mid afternoon. Plan errands early in the day or later in the evening when air feels cooler. Sit in the shade where possible and rest often.

Indoors, open windows for cross breezes if outdoor air quality is good, or use fans and air conditioning if you have access. Cool drinks, ice chips, and cold fruit snacks give short bursts of relief and help you stay hydrated.

When To Call A Doctor Or Midwife

Most of the time, a slight rise in temperature in pregnancy falls into the normal range and settles with rest, fluids, and a cooler setting. The moment you see clear fever numbers or feel very unwell, the balance shifts and you need timely advice.

Call your doctor, midwife, or local maternity assessment unit without delay if your temperature reaches 37.5°C or higher and you are pregnant, even when symptoms seem mild. Rapid advice matters even more if you have long term health conditions, twins or more, are in the first trimester, or feel your baby moving less than usual.

Emergency care is needed if fever comes with breathing trouble, chest pain, strong abdominal pain, confusion, a spreading rash, or signs of early labour. Medical teams would always rather see you early and send you home with reassurance than see you late when a problem has developed.

Body warmth shifts in pregnancy are common, yet they still deserve respect. Once you know how small hormonal rises look compared with true fever, the question about pregnancy temperature feels far less confusing in day to day life. You can spot normal patterns, stay ahead of illness, and ask for help quickly when readings and symptoms move beyond the comfort zone.