Chills during pregnancy

Many future mothers may experience chills during their pregnancy and get confused or frightened by them. Yet, there are many possible reasons behind these chills and every mother who gets affected by them should look further into this state of affairs.

Chills are not exactly known to be a frequent pregnancy symptom. Therefore, it is quite possible that many people have not known them as such. However, although they are very unlikely, chills are, indeed, a possible symptom during pregnancy. As for whether chills are a sign of something being wrong or fall into the category of normal side effects of pregnancy, the answer really depends on what exactly is causing these symptoms. In fact, chills are most commonly connected with undergoing infections. So, when a pregnant woman experiences them, they might be a sign of concern. Are Chills a Sign of Infections in Pregnancy?

As previously stated, chills, which are usually accompanied by high fever, are a sign of different infectious diseases that can arise during pregnancy.

One of such diseases is viral gastroenteritis. What happens here is that a number of different viruses attack the intestines, leading to an infection. Apart from chills, symptoms include high fever and discomfort in the abdomen, manifested through pain and cramps. Women who are most likely to develop this condition during pregnancy are those that have insufficient fluids intake, especially when compared to the amount of fluids lost from the body due to morning sickness.

Another possible cause of chills is pneumonia, which is the disease that attacks the lungs because of multiplication of bacteria in the lungs. It should be stated that this condition is highly unlikely to occur, but if it does, it can lead to serious complications, one of which is premature labor.

Inflammation of the appendix, also known as appendicitis, may sometimes arise during pregnancy. The problem with this condition is that it usually takes a while to be discovered because the majority of its symptoms look like regular symptoms of pregnancy. Cramps and stomach ache are the prime examples of this issue. However, this condition is very important to be discovered as early as possible because it can lead to a number of complications. The way to resolve the issue is with a surgical procedure. The name urinary tract infection basically explains what the disease is. It includes the entrance of harmful bacteria into the urinary tract which subsequently leads to infection. Inflammation may affect only the bladder or even spread to the kidneys and is apart from chills accompanied by uneasiness and soreness while urinating, the ache in the lower stomach, the need to use the bathroom abnormally frequently and changes in the urine's appearance( the urine becomes tainted with the presence of substances such as blood and proteins).

Can Red Wine Provoke Chills?

Red wine, known for its wide variety of healthy properties, has been recommended for daily moderate consumption in many cases. However, in one specific case, it has been labeled as an absolutely forbidden alcoholic drink to be drunk. Namely, even though it has not been directly connected with chills during pregnancy, it can lead to various health problems, both for the mother and the baby.

Alcohol indulgence during pregnancy is likely to cause fetal alcohol syndrome or FAS to the newly born baby. This affects its nervous system, making the child impaired regarding its neurological, behavioral and other mental characteristics. Moreover, the baby is likely to be physically deformed as well, bearing specific signs of the FAS, including small eyes, characteristic facial deformations etc.

Nevertheless, recent medical discoveries have come to a conclusion that moderate consumption of red wine can actually be beneficial for the child to-be-born.

Researches have shown that moderate consumption of this alcoholic drink, meaning that a pregnant woman is not advised to have more than 3 glasses of red wine a week, bear no negative effects upon the health of the woman and the fetus inside her womb. Yet, any amounts larger than these are bound to cause damage, due to excessive alcohol exposure.

French doctors advise moderate and careful red wine consumption during pregnancy for relaxation, while, in the US, this is absolutely forbidden. Thus, attitudes vary and the benefit of red wine during pregnancy remains a mystery.

Interestingly, researches have shown that children whose mothers consumed red wine moderately during their pregnancies have less behavioral and cognitive problems than children whose mothers avoided red wine completely. Moreover, children of red wine drinking mothers seem to score better at vocabulary tests and have better didactic capabilities which they show earlier. Amazingly, red wine is known to reduce contractions which take place before the optimal term. Thus, red wine consumption in pregnancy can reduce early births.

All in all, red wine is not known to be connected with chills, while chills in general can be a matter for concern. Thus, bearing in mind all the possible reasons behind chills, seek medical assistance timely and have the problem looked into.