Hot Summer Safety

While summer may conjure up images of fun vacations, picnics, barbeques, and balmy evenings spent outside on the porch, the reality may be a bit less bucolic, especially when you're pregnant. Summer heat can exacerbate any discomfort you may be feeling due to hormonal fluctuations, extra body weight, and other physical changes. In addition, the heat can be dangerous for you and your baby if you become overheated, dehydrated, or develop hyperthermia (not to be confused with hypothermia, which is caused by extreme cold).

Early signs you are dehydrated include thirst, dry or chapped lips, dry skin, fatigue, and constipation. You may also notice that your baby is less active than usual. If you experience any of these symptoms, go somewhere cool, sit down, and drink cool water or fruit juice. If you feel dizzy or lightheaded, lie down on your left side and place a cool cloth on your forehead and neck.

Hyperthermia is the general name given to several heat-related illnesses, including heat cramps, exhaustion, and stroke.

Heat cramps are the least severe of the heat-related illnesses and they are often the first sign that your body is stressed due to increased temperature. Heavy perspiration causes excessive loss of electrolytes, which leads to painful muscle spasms. If you experience heat cramps, treat them as a serious warning that unless you reduce your body temperature, you could develop a serious heat-related emergency.

Heat exhaustion is a more serious and complex condition that can result from prolonged exposure to high temperatures, restricted fluid intake, or failure of your body's temperature regulation mechanism. If you develop heat exhaustion, your skin may feel cool, moist, and pale. You may also suffer from headache, nausea, weakness, exhaustion, dizziness, faintness, mental confusion, and have a rapid, weak pulse. Your breathing may become fast and shallow, and your blood pressure may drop.

Heat exhaustion can develop rapidly into heat stroke, a potentially life threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention when problems first appear. Heat stroke, like heat exhaustion, is a product of prolonged exposure to high temperatures, restricted fluid intake, or failure of your body's temperature regulation mechanisms. However, the impact on your body is much greater with heat stroke. If you develop heat stroke, your body temperature reaches 104°F (40°C) or higher, and you may also experience mental confusion, combative and bizarre behavior, staggering, and faintness. Your pulse will be strong and rapid (160-180 beats per minute) and your skin will become dry and flushed. You will sweat very little and can quickly lose consciousness or have convulsions.

While it may seem logical that all the extra fluid that you're carrying in your ankles, hands, and belly would protect you and your baby from dehydration, it may actually contribute to dehydration. Fluid retention moves the fluid out of the cells where it's needed, and into the spaces around them, causing the swollen and puffy look you may be experiencing.

Dehydration can be especially dangerous when you're pregnant because it can cause your baby's heart to beat too quickly and increase your risk of preterm labor. The likelihood of preterm labor increases because dehydration decreases your blood volume, thereby increasing the concentration of oxytocin, the hormone responsible for uterine contractions.

In addition, your baby is always 1 degree Celsius (nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than you are, and it cannot sweat to lower his or her body temperature. Avoiding fetal heat stress is especially important during the first trimester when your baby's major body systems are developing. Hyperthermia may be associated with some birth defects, including heart problems, abdominal wall defects, and nervous system malformation.

If you experience any of the following symptoms, see your doctor immediately:

• More than five contractions or cramps per hour
• Bright red vaginal bleeding
• Acute or continuous vomiting
• Low, dull backache
• Intense pelvic pressure

To stay cool during the summer months and protect you and your baby from dehydration, drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water each day - more if you are active or sweating a lot. Eating lighter meals can also help you stay cool since large meals increase your metabolism, which can make you feel hotter. Try making healthy popsicles by freezing fruit juice, or eat out at an air-conditioned restaurant to avoid using the stove or oven to cook lunch or dinner.

Spend as much time in an air-conditioned environment as possible. If you don't have access to air conditioning, a fan and an air filter or dehumidifier can help. However, if the temperature is in the high 90s or higher, a simple fan will not prevent heat-related illness. Limit the time you spend outdoors during the midday hours; if you must be outside, rest frequently in the shade. Choose lightweight, loose-fitting clothing in light colors, and wear a hat when you are in the sun. Sunburns impair your body's ability to cool itself and cause a loss of body fluids, so always remember to wear a good sunscreen with at least SPF 15 that protects against both UVA and UVB rays.

Try taking a cool shower or bath or, if you have access, a refreshing dip in a swimming pool. Even if you don't have access to a full-sized pool, lying in a kiddie pool or just soaking your feet can help cool you off.

By paying attention to your body's warning signs and following these simple tips, you can stay cool and healthy during the dog days of your summer pregnancy.