Help! Worried sick about high temp in early pregnancy

[MissTea]

I have recently found out I'm pregnant, just under 4 weeks. Have felt awful all day - sick, achey, shaky, hot then cold, like flu. Thought it might be morning sickness so stupidly didn't take temp and went Xmas shopping in a hot dept store. Felt cold so kept wearing jumper, scarf and thick coat inside shop. DH felt my brow and said I was burning up so I went home and took temp: 38C!! Worried that it must have been even higher earlier. Stupid me. Kicking myself for going out.

Does anyone know how dangerous a high temp is in early pregnancy, and if there is anything can do now? Am I too early for a scan to tell me if all ok?? Worried sick..

Take paracetamol now you know.

Its too early for a scan at all, let alone an anomaly scan of any kind.

38 isn't that high...Our doc advises not to give meds to children till they get to 38.5 unless they have other symptoms, ie headaches, so I guess his advice would be the same for adults.

Have some paracetomol, and hope you feel better soon!

Thanks. Have taken 1 paracetamol (v wary of taking anything while preg) and temp now 37.5. Just hope I haven't done any damage already. Does anyone know how high a temp you have to have and for how long for it to be dangerous? Thanks again

I think it has to be pretty high. (say 39 ish) have you checked NHS website? I'd have the other paracetomol, it's fine to take in pg. (I get terrible headaches and took them as often as I usually did) If you're sickening for a cold or something the paracetomol will help with the symptoms.

Thanks Bucharest. Just saw your post after writing mine. I know 38 isn't that high normally but I thought it might be bad for the fetus in early pregnancy. Read some vague but v scary stuff on Internet but wasn't sure whether I will definitely have caused a mc / birth defects or might still be ok. Had cramping all day but also had that last couple of days with no temp.

I'm glad you posted this MissTea as I've been fretting about this all day too.
I'm only 4+3 and am full of cold.

I was charting to get PG and took my temp this morn and it was 37.5 so got a fright! I stupidly started to google and all I read were bad things.

Thanks ladies for your reassuring comments.

I had a bad cold/temperature at about six weeks pg- now 27 and all is well according to scans etc. At the time I rang NHS Direct and they advised paracetomol to bring the temp down.

Hope everyone feels better soon!

MissTea, I had flu at 7 weeks with DD (now 4) and had a temp of 38+ up and down for about a week - was necking paracetamol like nobody's business and worrying like mad too. Then got pneumonia! Anyway, was really worried about it all, but the docs were completely relaxed and said a sticky bean is tough! DD is more than fine! Hope you feel better soon

Thank you all so very much for your reassuring comments. Much appreciated :-)

I had swine flu last September at 6 weeks and was on anti-virals and paracetamol for a week and my temperature was still over 38 for days. Dd2 is now 6 months and is perfect and gorgeous. It's unlikely it'll be a problem. :)

MissTea I know this is an old post but do you now have a healthy 3 year old?? I'm going through the same as you and I'm only 4 and a half weeks!!

dan 38 is not a high temperature. In fact is probably quite normal for a pregnant woman hth :) but if you feel wrong, go with your gut.

Dandiddles I had high temperature for about a week when I was around 5 weeks pregnant, I had flu and tried to keep my fever down with paracetamol but my temp spiked regularly through the night and day. I'm due to give birth this week, from the scans the baby looks fine (they looked especially closely at the things that can be effected by neural tube defects as that if what a high temp in early pregnancy can cause to go wrong)

All i can say is please if your are pregnant go and get the flu jab!

As it can be dangerous in pregnancy you will get it free on the NHS :)

take 2 paracetamol as you would do normally-paracetamol safer than high temp.
same thing happened to me at 6 weeks but my temp went above 39 degrees.....I googled and panicked which is silly as I had no control over anything.....currently snuggling my gorgeous, perfect 2 week old baby :-) please try not to worry x

Hi all,

I recently found out I was pregnant and at the same time tested positive for Covid. I am just looking for reassurance I suppose from people who may have been in a similar situation.

At 4 weeks three days I developed symptoms - dry cough, hot ears and a high temperature. Over the course of the day my temperature ranged from 38.1 to 38.4 (Ear temp). Eventually got it down that night with paracetamol.

My worry now is the effects of the high temperature on my developing baby. Has anyone been in a similar situation and gone on to have heathy pregnancies.

Hi @Anne19 - did everything go ok for you? x