In summer, the body temperature of pregnant women is higher than that of ordinary people, and their heat tolerance is reduced. For the health of the fetus, it is necessary to take necessary heatstroke prevention and cooling measures. However, due to special physiological reasons, pregnant women should also pay attention to some taboos when enjoying the cool weather in summer.
Use umbrellas more for sun protection and less \”cream\”
Sun protection is very important in summer because pregnant women’s skin is more sensitive and they are more susceptible to sunburn. You can choose to use a parasol or wear a sun hat when going out. Wear white or light-colored long-sleeved clothes and prepare some water or drinks before going out. Try not to use sunscreen or use less sunscreen, because although sunscreen has a certain isolation effect, some sunscreens contain lead to a greater or lesser extent. In addition, if you want to go out, it is best to avoid the hours when the sun is strongest from 10 am to 4 pm.
Big shopping malls are not a good place to escape the heat
Don\’t use shopping centers as \”cool\” places. In summer, many large supermarkets and markets are equipped with air conditioning, and some pregnant women like to go to these places to escape the heat. However, this practice should not be promoted. The reason is that the air conditioners in general shopping malls are turned on too high. If the air conditioners are turned on too high, it may cause uterine contractions, even miscarriage and premature birth. After coming out of the supermarket, there is a huge difference between hot and cold, which can easily make pregnant women catch a cold. In addition, large shopping malls and supermarkets have a large flow of people and poor air, making it easy to be infected with germs.
Don\’t take cold showers
\”Shower\” will quickly close the pores in the body, preventing heat from dissipating and remaining in the body. Not only is it easy to cause a cold, it may also cause weakness in the limbs, sore shoulders and knees, and abdominal pain in pregnant women. At the same time, due to the stimulation of cold water, pregnant women\’s skin pores will suddenly close and blood vessels will suddenly shrink, which may also easily lead to insufficient blood supply to the fetus. Therefore, pregnant women are strictly prohibited from taking cold showers.
Cooling the swimming pool is not advisable
Many swimming pools are not strictly disinfected and the water is not changed regularly. Certain bacteria may be present in excessive amounts. In addition, the swimming pool floor is slippery and there are many people in the pool, making it unsafe for pregnant women.
Use cooling oil with caution
Refreshing oil and wind ointment have the effects of refreshing, cooling, and relieving itching, and are often used to prevent headaches, dizziness, mosquito bites, etc. in summer. However, pregnant women should use it with caution because the cooling oil contains camphor and borneol, which may pass through the placental barrier and affect the normal development of the fetus. In severe cases, it can cause teratogenesis, stillbirth or miscarriage. Especially the first 3 months of pregnancy are more harmful.
Pu Zhaohe, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine