Can Pregnant Women Drink Ice? This is the Medical Explanation

Among pregnant women, there is not a single well-known myth that proves that pregnant women should not drink ice, either together with water, juice, or any drink, because it can trigger babies born with large body weight. This myth seems to be quite efficient, asserting some pregnant women stay away from drinking ice because until this time, the next myth continues to circulate widely in society. Actually, can pregnant women drink ice?

Pregnant women drink ice, is it dangerous or not?

Pregnant women are actually fine to drink ice when they are pregnant, especially if they are in a hot environment that can trigger thirst quickly. In addition, pregnant women need to be always hydrated so as not to become dehydrated which can endanger themselves and the fetus. Ice water is able to trigger the mother is always hydrated so as not to lack of fluids.

For claims about babies that will be large if pregnant women drink ice water, there is no scientific evidence that proves the truth. Large babies are usually caused by genetic, maternal fitness, or medical conditions that trigger fetuses to grow faster, not because they often drink ice water.

In addition, you need to know that there are some aspects that change a baby born with a large weight. Further factors include:

There are genetic or genetic descendants of parents who have large bodies
A history of pregnancy in the beginning which is calculated to give birth to a large baby
Late delivery more than 2 weeks
Mothers suffer from gestational diabetes during pregnancy
Mothers are obese or gain excess weight during pregnancy

Ice water is not dangerous for pregnant women to drink because it is able to support the mother always hydrated. The danger comes precisely from drinks that use artificial sweeteners or drinks that contain caffeine and alcohol. Drinks that use artificial sweeteners can trigger pregnant women to have gestational diabetes. Meanwhile, caffeinated or alcoholic drinks can trigger a mother's thirst and dehydration more.

Ice water is considered capable of supporting pregnant women who experience sweltering (hot flash). During pregnancy, the mother will often become hot and that is normal. More than a third of women experience this condition while pregnant. A decrease in the hormone estrogen and an increase in metabolism during pregnancy, triggers an increased sensation of heat and occurs for several minutes.

However, you need to be able to distinguish between feverish heat along with hot flash, which is together with identifying how the burning sensation then changes the body. Fever heat has an effect on increasing body temperature, when a hot flash does not.

One step to overcome the hot flash when pregnant is along with drinking ice water. In addition, you are counted able to run the following methods:

Using a fan
Open the window to feel the breeze

Danger of dehydration in pregnant women
Dehydration is more common in the era of pregnancy. Most of the dehydration problems that occur are usually mild, but chronic dehydration can endanger pregnant women and fetuses. Nausea and vomiting that may occur in pregnant women, can trigger dehydration because the body has difficulty absorbing the water needed.

The main signs of dehydration are thirst. But when dehydration worsens, thirst can disappear and there are other symptoms that are more severe, such as:

The heart beats fast
Dizzy and confused
Low blood pressure
The pattern of fetal movement changes
Limp
Sunken eyes
There are no tears
Sleepy

Mild dehydration is not dangerous for pregnant women, and can be overcome together quickly by drinking plain water or ice water. Water is used to form the placenta which transmits nutrients to the fetus, and is used counted in the amniotic sac. If dehydration is not treated immediately, various pregnancy complications can occur:

Reduced amniotic fluid
Nerve tube defect
Poor milk production
Birth defects
Preterm labor

During pregnancy, it is too important to always be hydrated. Drinking enough water every day is able to expedite the whole body's benefits, and maintain healthy organs and tissues. Drink about 8-12 glasses of water every day. In addition, when you often experience nausea and vomiting, you should drink plenty of water. In addition to water, you are able to drink milk and natural fruit juice without artificial sweeteners.

Impact of drinking ice water

Pregnant women can actually drink ice, especially if they are hot or dehydrated. However, if pregnant women are sufferers of achalasia (a rare condition where it is difficult to swallow food and drink) then drinking ice water can make it more difficult to swallow. In addition, some women are considered capable of feeling headaches after drinking ice water. Therefore, you should count on consulting a doctor about this.

Always make sure the water you drink is safe for consumption because it is clean very important. Water can be contaminated by high levels of chemicals that can harm the fetus, such as arsenic, lead and mercury. Then, make sure including ice made from cooking water because raw water has a dose of bacteria that can be at risk for pregnant women and their fetuses.