Patient's question:
All symptoms: I had my last menstrual period on April 24th. I had a fever on May 15th. From May 15th to 16th, my temperature was 37.7 degrees. On May 17th, it was 38.2 degrees. From May 18th to 19th, it was 39 degrees. On May 20th, my temperature started to return to normal. I had a cold without a runny nose, just a fever. I did not take any medicine during this time. On May 22nd, I found out I was pregnant. Please ask if it will affect the fetus.Time of onset and cause of illness: Treatment status:
Help needed: Will it affect the fetus?
Doctor's answer:
If it's just a temporary mild fever, it generally won't harm the mother or fetus. However, some studies have found that during the 5th to 6th week of pregnancy (3rd to 4th week after conception), which is the neural tube development period, if a pregnant woman's temperature exceeds 38.9 degrees Celsius and persists for more than 24 hours, it may increase the risk of the fetus developing neural tube defects (such as anencephaly). It must be emphasized that very few pregnant women allow their temperature to rise so high and remain elevated for such a long duration without seeking treatment. Therefore, the harm caused by fever to the fetus or mother is not greater than the harm caused by the underlying cause itself. For example, if the fever is caused by rubella infection, the harm the virus does to the fetus (such as malformations) will far exceed the thermal harm caused by the fever itself. Pregnant women should pay attention to their bodies. If they catch a sudden illness, they must be careful with medication and it's best to go to the hospital to consult a doctor and follow their advice.