Can pregnant women receive injections or intravenous fluids when they have a fever?
Apr 19, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Shuwen
Introduction
If a pregnant woman has a fever exceeding 38.5°C accompanied by poor mental condition, she may, under medical guidance and after weighing the risks and benefits, receive injections or intravenous infusions of antibiotics with higher safety profiles to relieve symptoms and prevent adverse effects caused by high body temperature. However, if the body temperature does not exceed 38.5°C and her mental state is good, injections or intravenous infusions are generally not recommended to avoid potential drug effects on the fetus.
Generally speaking, fever refers to an elevated body temperature. If a pregnant woman develops a fever and her body temperature is excessively high with obvious discomfort, she may usually receive injections or intravenous (IV) therapy; however, if symptoms are not significant, such treatments are generally not recommended. The specific analysis is as follows:
1. Permissible
If a pregnant woman’s body temperature exceeds 38.5°C and she experiences poor mental status, such as general weakness, drowsiness, muscle aches, etc., she may—after careful evaluation of risks and benefits under a doctor's guidance—receive injections or IV therapy using relatively safe antibiotics. Examples include ceftriaxone sodium for injection, azithromycin for injection, and penicillin sodium for injection. These treatments help control inflammatory infections, relieve symptoms, and prevent adverse effects of high fever on both the mother and fetus.
2. Not recommended
If the fever is mild—for instance, body temperature does not exceed 38.5°C—and the woman is in good mental condition without significant discomfort, injections or IV therapy are generally not advised to avoid potential impacts of medication on fetal development.
Pregnant women who develop a fever during pregnancy should promptly visit the general internal medicine department of a hospital for proper medical treatment and must avoid self-medicating or taking drugs blindly.
