9 Tips for Safe Pregnancy During Monsoon
- 31 Aug, 2022
- IVF and Infertility
- infertility
- Medically Reviewed By:
Dr. Nishi Singh - Author: Prime IVF Centre
When you think of monsoons, the first thing that comes to our mind is the relief from the scorching heat of the summer months and a relaxing evening at home with a piping hot cup of tea or coffee in hand. Monsoons bring a lot of pleasurable memories but it also introduces a lot of physical turmoil in the body.
If you are pregnant, monsoons are the time of the year when you need to practice the most caution. From infections to risks of communicable diseases, there is a lot that you need to be mindful of during your gestational period.
This article will pinpoint the top 9 pregnancy care tips you should implement during the monsoon season to stay healthy and free of infections.
Does Monsoon Impose risks during Pregnancy?
Our intent with this article isn’t to villainize monsoons. In fact, we can’t emphasize enough on how beautiful the season is. But, with the extra stagnant puddles of water and the uncontrolled breeding of the infectious vectors, there is a steep rise in cold, flu, and other common communicable infections.
Although most of these conditions aren’t fatal, they do impose heightened risks of weakness in the body, which is the last thing a pregnant woman needs to experience. There is already an increased load on the mother’s body and it is best to be aware of conditions that can increase that stress on the body.
Certain communicable and infectious diseases might leave negative implications on the fetus and might lead to certain pregnancy complications too. But, that’s in very rare cases.
- Focus on Eating a Balanced and Nutritious Diet
- Focus on Hydration
- Focus on Vaginal Hygiene
- Avoid Outside Food
- Wear the Right Clothes
- Eliminate Stagnant Water and Take Precautions
- Sanitize the Surroundings
- Wearing the Right Footwear
- Discuss Any issues with the Doctor
- Conclusion
How to Ensure a Safe Pregnancy during Monsoon?
Managing weather changes is quite tricky. So, the list of the following pregnancy tips should let you figure out ways to keep your pregnant-self safe during the monsoons.
1. Focus on Eating a Balanced and Nutritious Diet
Pregnancy demands the expecting mother to stick to a healthy and nutritious diet for the well-being of the mother and the baby.
However, since monsoons bring a plethora of infections and diseases with them, eating an immune-boosting and nutritious diet during that period is an absolute must. Consuming a diet rich in leafy greens, healthy fats, and high protein might optimize the immune system profoundly.
Some doctors even suggest sipping hot tea, soups, or other beverages during the monsoons to prevent the risks of cold and flu.
2. Focus on Hydration
Besides eating healthy food for pregnant women, you also need to focus on your hydration. Monsoons are one of those periods during the year when you are most likely to be dehydrated.
Lack of optimal hydration can also enhance the risks of fatigue, headache, dizziness, etc., all of which can be prevented by drinking 2-2.5 liters of water each day.
At Prime IVF, we particularly instruct our patients to stick to a proper routine of water consumption, much like food. If plain water seems boring, try infused water or fruit juices mixed in water to spruce up the taste.
3. Focus on Vaginal Hygiene
During monsoons, the weather is most like damp, humid, and gloomy around. While it’s a great time to stay indoors and under the covers, cozy in bed, it also enhances the risks of urinary tract infections.
The risks are predominant in pregnant women. If you are noticing discomfort in your vaginal or groin area, take immediate measures to prevent the risks of infections.
You can change your underwear multiple times a day, and use a pH-safe vaginal wash to maintain optimal hygiene. If the white discharge with a foul smell is still persistent, we often instruct our patients to come in for a routine check-in.
4. Avoid Outside Food
Monsoons often entice us into getting something deep-fried and unhealthy from the open stall on the street. While the situation might have been different at other times, you can’t risk food poisoning when you are pregnant.
Despite your cravings, we’d highly recommend steering clear off of outside food for good. The risks of cross-contamination in the street food stalls are at their highest during the monsoons. So, eating such foods might lead to stomach aches, nausea, and vomiting, which can be bad for the mother and the baby as well.
5. Wear the Right Clothes
It isn’t just about healthy food for pregnancy. What you wear during the monsoon periods can influence the course of your pregnancy. Monsoons bring a mix of weather changes. Some days are cold and some days leave very humid air in the surrounding.
Dressing based on the weather conditions is crucial. If you notice the weather is windy and cold, wear dresses to prevent the risks of cold and flu. However, if the weather is warm and humid, despite the rain, wear loose-fitted clothes so you can sweat freely.
6. Eliminate Stagnant Water and Take Precautions
When you are pregnant, contracting infectious diseases like dengue, chikungunya, malaria, etc. might be fatal for the mother and the baby. At Prime IVF, we are very particular about instructing our pregnant patients about the importance of preventive measures against such diseases.
Since these diseases are mosquito-borne, the first line of prevention is to eliminate all stagnant water sources in the house. If you have planters with stagnant water, get rid of them. Furthermore, secure your windows and doors with mosquito nets. This will keep the infectious mosquitoes outside.
If you notice a sudden spike in body temperature that doesn’t get better after a few days, it's always ideal to come in for a check-up.
7. Sanitize the Surroundings
Pregnancy care during monsoons is not just about your personal self but also your surroundings. The area around your house serves as a breeding ground for all infectious diseases. So, if you want to prevent them proactively, it's crucial that you sanitize the surroundings.
Start with a deep cleaning of the house and the individual rooms. A good-quality disinfectant spray should do the trick for you. If possible, clean and disinfect the bed and upholstery of the furniture around the house.
8. Wearing the Right Footwear
Now, you must be thinking, “How does shoes matter?”
Well, if you take evening walks during the monsoon periods and you are pregnant, you want to wear shoes that are sturdy, safe, and non-slippery. This will reduce the risks of you toppling over, falling, and hurting yourself (and the baby) in the process.
The wet pavements and the roads are quite risky to walk on. So, pairing your evening walks with the right pair of shoes can ensure optimal safety for you.
9. Discuss Any issues with the Doctor
At Prime IVF, we understand that monsoons are a very sensitive period for pregnant women. We also encounter a rise in patients suffering from cold, cough, and fever, during monsoons while they are pregnant.
While such symptoms are common and not fatal for the most part, we still alert the patients to be safe than sorry.
If you notice any symptom that’s putting you off or making you feel uncomfortable, it's always ideal to book a consultation and get the issue checked. It could be nothing but what if it resulted in something drastic?
Conclusion
Pregnancy and monsoon aren’t antagonists but they don’t mesh well with one another. If you are pregnant during the monsoon period, we’d recommend taking extra care of yourself. Pay attention to your health, focus on your diet and keep yourself in the best health. However, don’t stress yourself out by overworking yourself.
For any complications or queries, our team of board-certified doctors and specialists at Prime IVF are always here to help you through it. Contact us for further details.
