Excessive sweating in pregnancy

Pregnancy can make heat feel harder to tolerate and may change how the body regulates temperature. Sweating may be more noticeable at night or during activity, especially in warm clothing or rooms. It should not automatically be attributed to pregnancy: hyperthyroidism, hypoglycaemia, heat exhaustion, or obstructive sleep apnoea can also involve sweating. The Excessive Sweating overview can help you describe the pattern to a clinician.

Drink fluids regularly according to your maternity team’s advice, rest in a cool ventilated room, choose loose breathable layers, and change damp clothing. Avoid starting prescription-strength antiperspirants, tablets, injections, or procedures without checking pregnancy and breastfeeding suitability. Keep notes on timing, triggers, fever, dizziness, palpitations, and any new medicine. A clinician can recommend pregnancy-appropriate skin care and explain whether treatment should wait.

Contact your maternity team or clinician if sweating is new and persistent, wakes you repeatedly, comes with fever, feeling unwell, palpitations, tremor, vomiting, marked thirst, reduced urination, or dizziness. Seek urgent help for fainting, confusion, severe weakness, breathing difficulty, chest discomfort, or signs of significant overheating.

Could this pattern be pregnancy-related or should another cause be checked? Which cooling and skin products are suitable now? Are any treatments appropriate during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and what symptoms require same-day advice?