11 weeks pregnant and body temp usually at 37.5

[rtp1]

Hello! I'm 11 +6 today and for the last week my temperature has been between 37.3 and 37.6, higher in the evenings and after running about after my toddler. I feel fine, a bit cold but that's usual for me. My midwife has said anything over 37.5 is a fever and to take paracetamol but I feel a bit uncomfortable as it would mean taking paracetamol every day at least a couple of times! Has anyone else just run hot, over 37.5, in their first trimester? No idea if I was like this in my first pregnancy - we didn't have a toddler so didn't have a handy thermometer for checking! I'm also not sure what my usual temperature was prior to pregnancy. Been getting quite anxious with it all and would love to hear anyone else's experiences! Thank you xx

Just take the paracetamol. Why wouldn't you? I'm not really sure what the issue is?

Why are you even taking your temperature, do you feel unwell?

If you feel unwell then seek treatment for that, if not, put the thermometer away.

To clarify if you feel ill, and you have a temp over 37.5 then take the paracetamol, but if you're fine and you're just a bit hot from rushing around, don't.

Are you sure the issue isn't with your thermometer if an elevated temp is normal for you?

If it's only normal in the last week then the paracetamol is fine.

Errr Maybe because she feels absolutely fine as she said!! Why take medication when you're not feeling unwell? You only need to take paracetamol for a temperature when it's starting to effect you.
Carry on as you are OP.

If you’re fine why would you take your temperature? I don’t even own a thermometer… if you’re ill and have a temp you’ll know.

I'm reluctant to take it too often, especially if it may be normal to run warm in pregnancy. Whilst safe, there was a reference on the BUMPS website about potential contradictions if used for a prolonged period of time, so I thought I would see if anyone had had a similar experience in pregnancy.

I struggle with health anxiety, and had Covid at 6 weeks and got very scared reading all the stuff about high temperature in early pregnancy. Since then I've been checking quite frequently, I think it's becoming a negative anxiety habit to be honest but I'm also afraid if I don't check my temperature would be high, as i don't feel unwell when it's high, and I will hurt my baby by not checking and taking action. I'm getting help for the mental health elements, but I just thought it could be helpful to know if anyone had had a similar experience!

That's just it! It was 37.7 yesterday and I felt absolutely normal. I don't want to put the baby at risk if it is high and I should be taking paracetamol, so I keep checking. There's a lot of anxiety here 😂i just wanted to see if anyone else ran warm in pregnancy .

Hi OP, I am a rather anxious person especially in pregnancy and has this exact worry in the first trimester! I can see now that I was totally over thinking it but I know it doesn’t feel like that at the time! I found that my temperature was slightly higher than usual during the first trimester (and read that this is typical). My extensive reading also uncovered that you would have to have an extremely high, uncontrolled persistent high temperature to cause any ill effect to the baby. If you feel well it doesn’t sound as if there’s any need to take paracetamol. I hope that reassures a little x

Thank you, that is so kind and really reassuring. Its a bit terrifying isn't it, especially if you are already an anxious person. Thank you for replying xx

Because paracetamol is a painkiller, she's not in any pain and she barely has a raised temperature let alone a fever - it would be two paracetamol a day for no reason.
Paracetamol isn't harmless despite it being in common use, and pregnancy isn't really the time to be taking unnecessary medication.

That's just it! It was 37.7 yesterday and I felt absolutely normal. I don't want to put the baby at risk if it is high and I should be taking paracetamol, so I keep checking. There's a lot of anxiety here 😂i just wanted to see if anyone else ran warm in pregnancy .

If I had a thermometer I could now check and let you know, sorry 😂 I don’t think a slightly raised temperature - I’m not a medical professional but I really wouldn’t call anything below 38 a ‘fever’ - if you feel normal is anything to worry about. But similarly, it’s safe to take paracetamol, that won’t do any harm either. Might be worth taking it to see if how much the temperature goes down? Your regular temperature could just be a bit higher now because of hormones or whatever, a bit like during ovulation, so 37.7 may not be a huge raise relatively. Or your thermometer isn’t working properly. Sorry to hear you’ve been suffering with health anxiety - I feel like your midwife should have picked up on you checking your temperature regularly because of that - which really isn’t necessary - rather than telling you to take paracetamol for your ‘fever’. I don’t think that’s helpful.

This is completely anecdotal and I didn’t take my temperature at the time, but my body temperature was much higher than usual through my pregnancy.
I’m usually a very cold person, always freezing and I was lovely and toasty all winter when I was pregnant.

It's normal for your body temp to increase during pregnancy. I think it's a bit of a curse that you can see your temp on a thermometer because then you will constantly worry. As long as you feel fine then I wouldn't worry about it 💕 I've just had covid and my temp sky rocketed but I'm exactly the same - I'm nearly 11 weeks and I used to take paracetamol before pregnancy quite a lot with any pain or headache and now I try to avoid it as much I can, even though it's safe I completely understand why you wouldn't want to take any unnecessary medication if you don't really need too! As long as you feel fine and healthy then I wouldn't worry at all. 🙏🏼

Those quoting me might like to read my second comment before jumping on me!