A minimum of 8 glasses of water is recommended for healthy living.
Pregnant women need to consume more water than the average person in order to form amniotic fluid, produce extra blood, build new tissue, carry nutrients, enhance digestion, and flush out wastes and toxins. The risk of dehydration is therefore much higher in pregnant women.
What is dehydration?
Your body becomes dehydrated when it loses more water than what is consumed. This creates a water deficit in the body. Water is essential for your body and when there is a shortage, your body may not be able to perform certain functions.
During pregnancy, your body needs water to form the placenta (the part that passes nutrients to your growing baby). It is also needed for the amniotic sac (this is the space in which your baby will grow until he or she is born).
Dehydration during pregnancy can result in very serious complications, including:
neural tube defects
low amniotic fluid
premature labor
poor production of breastmilk
birth defects
Causes of dehydration in pregnancy
Apart from not drinking enough water, there are some factors that contribute to dehydration during pregnancy, such as vomiting (morning sickness) and overheating.
Signs of dehydration
When you become dehydrated, your body will show certain signs of dehydration and it is important to recognise them early. These are:
Maternal overheating: If you are not drinking enough water, your body may have trouble regulating heat. This makes you prone to overheating.
Dark yellow urine
Decreased need to urinate
Decreased urinary output
Dry, sticky mouth and increased thirst
Headache
Dizziness
Constipation
Early contractions known as Braxton-Hicks contractions( these are tightening of the uterus which lasts less than 2 minutes).
These are common in the third trimester but if you begin experiencing them in the second trimester with increased frequency then this might be a sign of dehydration. Visit your healthcare provider should you experience these.
How much water should you take during pregnancy?
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology recommends that a pregnant women take 8-12 cups of water daily, which is about 2.3 liters. This may lead to increased urination but if the urine is pale yellow, this is a good sign.
If you struggle to drink enough water during the day try some of the following tips:
Add fruits (lemons, limes, and frozen raspberries) to your water.
Avoid caffeine!
Increase your fruit and vegetable intake
Milk, juice, sparkling water, tea, and soups all count as fluid intake.
Listen to your body and drink enough fluids so that you rarely feel thirsty.
Drink enough fluids so that your urine is colorless or light yellow.
Stay out of the heat. Exercise indoors or at times during the day that are cooler (early in the morning or late evening).
Increase your fluid intake when you increase your activity level.
Benefits of staying hydrated in pregnancy
Drinking lots of water and staying hydrated can assist with:
decreasing constipation/hemorrhoids
reducing swelling
softer skin
increased energy
keeping you cooler
decreasing the risk of urinary tract infections
decreasing the probability of preterm labor and preterm birth
Take Home Message
Hydration during pregnancy is very important!
Make sure that you drink at least 8-12 glasses of water daily.
Decrease your intake of caffeine and eat more fruits.
Keep a look out for signs of dehydration.
This article is written by Dr Itumeleng Buti (MBChB)
References:
1. The American College of Obstetricians and gynecologists. How much water should I drink during Pregnancy? [ Internet] [updated; 2020, October ; Cited 2022 February, 28] Available from: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/experts-and-stories/ask-acog/how-much-water-should-i-drink-during-pregnancy.
2. Intermountain Health. How Hydration During Pregnancy Can Benefit You and Your Baby. [Internet]. Intermountain Healthcare Nevada; Lupe Cruz; [Updated 2017, July 31; Cited 2022, February 27] Available from: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/topics/live-well/2017/07/how-hydration-during-pregnancy-can-benefit-you-and-your-baby/
3. What-to-expect. How Much Water Should You Drink During Pregnancy? [ Internet] Health Everyday Group; Colleen de Bellefonds; [Updated 2022, December 11; Cited 2022, February 28] Available from: https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/drink-enough-water/
4. Healthline. Symptoms of Severe Dehydration During Pregnancy. [Internet] Healthline Media; Jessica Timmons; [Updated 2016, March 2; Cited 2022, February 2027] Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/dehydration
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