Maggie McKay (Host): Pregnancy and hot weather do not mix well. So what do expectant moms need to know about heat safety?

Sonya Harden, Certified Nurse Midwife, is here to tell us. Welcome to the Better Health Podcast from Tideland's Health. I'm your host, Maggie McKay. Thank you so much for being here today, Sonya.

Sonya Harden, CNM: Thank you for having me.

Host: So what are the specific risks that pregnant women face during hot weather?

Sonya Harden, CNM: Specifically, I think the worst thing that they face is overheating. Being overheated can dehydrate you. It can cause some issues with the pregnancy, like not enough water around the baby or amniotic fluid, making you dizzy, making you have all kinds of symptoms that make you feel bad.

Host: And so when you are pregnant, how does that affect the body's ability to regulate temperature?

Sonya Harden, CNM: So in pregnancy, you have a 50 percent increase in your blood volume and that can make it more difficult to stay as hydrated or you can have more symptoms if you don't hydrate as well, if you don't drink enough water. So that can make you more susceptible to changes in temperature.

Host: And what symptoms should pregnant women watch for that might indicate heat related illness?

Sonya Harden, CNM: Symptoms like having a dry mouth, feeling dizzy, your urine is dark, muscle cramps, swelling, headaches, all those can be signs of dehydration.

Host: Are there certain trimesters or stages of pregnancy when heat related risks are higher?

Sonya Harden, CNM: The heat related risks are high during all stages of pregnancy. It can become more difficult to maintain hydration and therefore avoid heat related illnesses in the third trimester just because of the demands on the body from the growing pregnancy.

Host: And what are some effective ways for pregnant women to stay cool during hot weather? Because I remember being pregnant in the summer and it was no picnic.

Sonya Harden, CNM: Right. So limiting your exposure to being out in the heat and out in the sun, using sunscreen, dressing in like maybe linen or thin cotton, actually covering your arms and legs can be a good idea. Hydrating really well, keeping something cold to drink with you, even misting your face and neck with like the cool water misters that they have now. Even something like running your wrist under cold water can help to cool your body down.

Host: Absolutely. I used to use that trick when I did overnights to stay awake. Yeah, it really wakes you up and it does cool you down. What should pregnant women know if they suspect they're experiencing heat related illness?

Sonya Harden, CNM: You should seek out shade or air conditioning right away. You can probably get yourself regulated as long as you're not having nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. If you've reached that point, then you may need to come into the hospital for IV fluids to get you rehydrated and cooled down. But for the most part you know, if you watch for those signs and you try to stay hydrated, drinking the recommended amount of water each day, then you should not get to that extreme point.

Host: How dangerous is it for the baby if you do get to that point where you, you just aren't paying attention, you're outside, maybe in the desert, like I don't know, hiking or something and you find yourself dehydrated, pregnant and a little panic stricken. How dangerous can it be to, you know, not pay attention to all these things that you you're talking about we should do.

Sonya Harden, CNM: if your body temperature increases over 101 degrees, then that can cause problems with the pregnancy. Things like growth restriction, where the baby doesn't grow as well, decrease in the amount of fluid around the baby which can cause problems with growth as well. It could cause preterm labor or at least contractions that feel like preterm labor.

Host: Wow. So we really need to pay attention to all those things that you taught us today when we're pregnant and we're in hot weather.

Sonya Harden, CNM: Right.

Host: Well, thank you so much for sharing your expertise today. We appreciate your time. This has been so helpful.

Sonya Harden, CNM: Thank you.

Host: To learn more, please visit tidelandshealth.org. That's tidelandshealth.org. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out our entire podcast library for topics of interest to you.

This has been the Better Health Podcast presented by Tidelands Health. Thank you for listening.