Heat stroke in pregnant women

Heat stroke during pregnancy: A deadly danger for two

Heat stroke is the most severe form of overheating, posing a direct threat to life. For a pregnant woman and her baby, this condition is an absolute medical emergency. It occurs when the body's thermoregulatory system completely fails, and body temperature rapidly rises to critical levels (40°C and above), leading to brain damage, organ failure, and can be fatal.

Why is heat stroke so dangerous for the fetus?

The fetus in the mother's womb has limited ability to cool itself. Its temperature depends entirely on the mother's body temperature. When the pregnant woman's body temperature reaches 40°C, the fetus's temperature becomes even higher. Such hyperthermia is extremely toxic to the developing brain cells of the child and can cause irreversible damage or intra‑uterine death. The risk of congenital defects also increases significantly, especially in the first trimester.

Differences from heat exhaustion

It is important to clearly distinguish heat stroke from heat exhaustion. The main sign of heat stroke is cessation of sweating. The skin becomes hot, red, and dry. Other symptoms include:

• Confusion, disorientation, strange behavior.
• Severe throbbing headache.
• Possible loss of consciousness and seizures.

When these symptoms appear, it is necessary to call emergency services immediately (103) and, before they arrive, begin intensive physical cooling of the woman using any available methods (cold compresses, wet cloths). Read about general mechanisms in the article "Heat stroke".