Shivering during pregnancy: what to know

Shivering is an involuntary muscle response that generates heat. It can occur before a temperature rises, including with influenza, pneumonia, a urinary tract infection, or a kidney infection. A pregnant person may also shake after becoming chilled, missing a meal, vomiting, or feeling acutely worried. The symptom alone does not identify the cause.

Fever, burning when passing urine, back or side pain, cough, breathing difficulty, rash, severe headache, or feeling unusually weak makes infection more concerning. In areas where mosquito-borne illness occurs, tell a clinician about travel or exposure if fever and chills develop.

Sit or lie somewhere safe, add a light layer, and take your temperature with a reliable thermometer. Sip fluids and eat a small snack if you have not eaten and can keep food down. Do not take a new medicine, including a fever remedy, without checking that it is suitable in pregnancy. Record when the shaking began, the temperature, and accompanying symptoms.

Contact your maternity team or clinician promptly for fever, repeated shivering, painful urination, persistent vomiting, or worsening illness. Seek emergency help for trouble breathing, confusion, fainting, blue lips, severe abdominal pain, or a rapidly spreading rash. Severe infection, including sepsis, needs urgent assessment; pregnancy can change how illness presents.

Ask whether your temperature and symptoms need testing, which medicines are appropriate at your stage of pregnancy, and whether urine or blood tests are needed. Mention recent travel, sick contacts, reduced fluid intake, and any change in fetal movement.