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53 - Fever in Pregnancy

from Part III - Special Populations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 December 2009

By
Shani Delaney ,
Deborah Cohan  and
Patricia A. Robertson
Edited by
Rachel L. Chin
Shani Delaney
Affiliation:
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA
Deborah Cohan
Affiliation:
Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine; Medical Director, Bay Area Perinatal AIDS Center; Assistant Director, National Perinatal HIV Consultation and Referral Service, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA
Patricia A. Robertson
Affiliation:
Professor of Clinical Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Perinatal Medicine and Genetics, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA
Rachel L. Chin
Affiliation:
University of California, San Francisco
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Summary

INTRODUCTION

The work-up of fever in pregnancy requires special consideration of the effect of fever itself on the fetus, the impact of the pregnant state on the etiologic illness, the impact of the illness on the pregnancy, and the limitations that concerns for fetal well-being may place on diagnostic and therapeutic modalities.

The definition of fever in pregnancy is 100.4°F or 38.0°C. The normal fetal heart rate is between 110 and 160 beats per minute. Maternal fever often causes a fetal tachycardia, sometimes up to 180–200 beats per minute. It is important to treat maternal fever with antipyretics, especially in the first trimester, to decrease the risk of birth defects. The consequences of an episode of hyperthermia depend on the extent of the temperature elevation, its duration, and the stage of fetal development. Mild exposures during the preimplantation period and more severe exposures during embryonic and fetal development can result in miscarriage. Hyperthermia (usually at a level of 2.0°C elevation over normal) can cause a wide range of structural and functional defects in the fetus, ranging from central nervous system defects to growth issues. Pregnant women are also advised to be cautious about hot tubs or spa use in early pregnancy, based on their possibility of raising core maternal temperature.

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Emergency Management of Infectious Diseases , pp. 335 - 350
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2008

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References

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  • Fever in Pregnancy
    • By Shani Delaney, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA, Deborah Cohan, Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine; Medical Director, Bay Area Perinatal AIDS Center; Assistant Director, National Perinatal HIV Consultation and Referral Service, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA, Patricia A. Robertson, Professor of Clinical Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Perinatal Medicine and Genetics, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA
  • Edited by Rachel L. Chin, University of California, San Francisco
  • Book: Emergency Management of Infectious Diseases
  • Online publication: 15 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511547454.054
Available formats
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Save book to Dropbox

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  • Fever in Pregnancy
    • By Shani Delaney, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA, Deborah Cohan, Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine; Medical Director, Bay Area Perinatal AIDS Center; Assistant Director, National Perinatal HIV Consultation and Referral Service, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA, Patricia A. Robertson, Professor of Clinical Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Perinatal Medicine and Genetics, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA
  • Edited by Rachel L. Chin, University of California, San Francisco
  • Book: Emergency Management of Infectious Diseases
  • Online publication: 15 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511547454.054
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Fever in Pregnancy
    • By Shani Delaney, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA, Deborah Cohan, Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine; Medical Director, Bay Area Perinatal AIDS Center; Assistant Director, National Perinatal HIV Consultation and Referral Service, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA, Patricia A. Robertson, Professor of Clinical Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Perinatal Medicine and Genetics, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA
  • Edited by Rachel L. Chin, University of California, San Francisco
  • Book: Emergency Management of Infectious Diseases
  • Online publication: 15 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511547454.054
Available formats
×