Even if you do your best to avoid it, dehydration and pregnancy can sneak up to even the most cautious future mothers.
Dehydration is a serious problem on its own but during pregnancy the problem could be more serious because it can result in different kinds of complications.
What is dehydration?
Generally dehydration means that the body eliminates more fluids than you take in. This suggests that you don’t drink enough water and the body dries out. In fact dehydration is a doorway to illnesses. It can result in heat cramps, heat stroke or even exhaustion.
Risks of dehydration when being pregnant
During the first few months of pregnancy there are two major concerns. One of them is the health of the mother. If she is dehydrated she might have to face nausea. If this happens there might be need for her to go to the hospital to get IV fluids. When the mother gets rehydrated, things will go back to normal.
The second concern regarding dehydration during pregnancy is the health of the baby. If the mother doesn’t have enough fluids, there might not be enough amniotic fluids and so the baby could lay against the uterus. As a result there might be deformities of the feet, arms and legs.
If the dehydration while being pregnant occurs in the second or third trimester, the baby can get born prematurely. The truth is that dehydration is one of the most common causes of labor contractions. Dehydration results in an increase of the blood volume leading to a release of oxytocin that brings preterm labor.
In some case preterm labor can be stopped by rehydration if the cause is dehydration and pregnancy. If you aren’t well hydrated enough, your body temperature can increase that leads to other complications like heat exhaustion, muscle cramping, or other kinds of problems related to heat.
It is interesting to know that pregnancy dehydration is the common cause of fatigue in case of pregnant women. During this time women are more prone to fatigue because their energy levels are low anyway. Drinking enough fluids is the key to have a healthy pregnancy filled with energy.
Symptoms of dehydration and pregnancy
The first sign of dehydration is thirst. In the same time it is also the most ignored symptom. It is a good idea to try to drink at least a glass of water per hour. Another symptom that might experience is dizziness. As a result of dehydration you might experience lightheadedness, dizziness or vertigo. Dizziness is actually caused by low blood pressure caused by dehydration.
When it comes to pregnant women’s dehydration, you should also expect to experience some headaches and migraines. You shouldn’t dismiss this symptom. If your urine happens to have a dark yellow color, it also suggests that you are dehydrated. The urine may also have a stronger smell.
In some cases of dehydration and pregnancy women may find that they cannot urinate. They could also have chapped lips and a dry mouth and nose.
