What to do if you have a fever during confinement

We all know that women's bodies are particularly fragile during the confinement period, because after giving birth, they will lose a lot of qi and blood, and the need to breastfeed the baby during the confinement period will make their bodies particularly weak. Therefore, women must take good care of their bodies during the confinement period, eat some nutritional supplements in time, and try not to make themselves sick. So what should you do if you have a fever during the confinement period?

1. Normal fever: During the postpartum period, the mother's body temperature is generally normal. If the labor process is too long, the physical exertion is too great, the mother is extremely tired or mentally stressed, the body temperature may rise slightly within one day after delivery, but generally not exceeding 38°C. After sufficient rest, the body temperature will return to normal within 24 hours. 3 to 4 days after delivery, when the mother begins to secrete large amounts of milk, her body temperature may rise slightly due to the expansion and filling of the blood and lymphatic vessels in the breast and the expansion of the breast, which usually only lasts for a few hours before dropping.

2. Abnormal fever: If the body temperature reaches or exceeds 38°C for two consecutive times between the 2nd and 10th days after delivery, it is abnormal and you should consider whether it is a puerperal infection.

Abnormal fever may mainly be caused by the following circumstances:

1. Endometritis or myometritis often occurs 3 to 5 days after delivery. The lochia may be smelly or not. In mild cases, there may be low fever, increased lochia with a foul odor, abdominal distension, lower abdominal pain and tenderness. Severe cases are accompanied by fever, chills, lower abdominal tenderness or pain, and elevated white blood cell count.

2. The vulva, vagina, cervix, perineal incision or laceration sutures are common sites of inflammation, often accompanied by local redness, swelling, heat and pain, wound cracking, abnormal secretions, and even a fishy odor. Sometimes the whole body will have a fever and an elevated white blood cell count.

3. Thrombophlebitis often occurs 7 to 10 days after delivery or surgery. People who are bedridden for a long time, the elderly and the obese are more susceptible to this disease. Patients present with periodic fever and persistent abdominal pain that radiates to the groin, upper abdomen, and costovertebral angle. Thrombophlebitis of the lower limbs is manifested by pain in the lower limbs. Due to obstructed blood flow, it can cause lower limb edema, pale skin, and cord-like tenderness of the lower limb veins. The temperature of the affected limb is higher than that of the contralateral side, and the course of the disease is long.

4. Pelvic infection often presents with chills, high fever, lower abdominal pain, and deep pelvic tenderness about 5 days after delivery. It can cause pelvic abscess and even persistent high fever. Symptoms of pelvic peritonitis may include chills, high fever, severe abdominal pain, vomiting, abdominal distension, tense abdominal muscles, obvious tenderness and rebound pain, and may cause symptoms such as intestinal adhesions, diarrhea, tenesmus, and difficulty urinating.

5. Fever caused by acute mastitis may be accompanied by local redness, swelling, pain, nodules, and even ulceration of the breast.

Mothers must pay attention to these additional factors and determine clearly which situation causes the fever. If there are any abnormalities, they must seek medical attention in time to ensure their own health. In addition, mothers should also pay attention to their own nutritional intake, pay attention to the combination of work and rest, and restore their vitality as soon as possible. Only in this way can they ultimately eliminate postpartum fever.