In this article:
Take a closer look at how winters affect blood circulation in pregnancy and what you can do to keep yourself feeling warm and energised this season.
How Winters Affect Blood Circulation in Pregnancy
When the temperature drops, your body automatically tries to hold on to heat. It does this by tightening blood vessels near your skin, a process called vasoconstriction. This helps keep your core warm, but it means less blood reaches your hands and feet, and it can also affect the placenta.
During pregnancy, your blood volume increases by up to 50 per cent to support your baby. But when you’re out in the cold, your body starts prioritising warmth for vital organs like the heart and lungs instead of keeping a steady blood flow everywhere. This can slightly reduce how much blood reaches the placenta, which is what supplies your baby with oxygen and nutrients.
Dry winter air adds to this by pulling moisture from your skin and even from your breath. This can cause your blood to thicken slightly, which slows circulation further. On top of that, heavy winter clothes trap sweat, and because the air is dry, the sweat evaporates fast. You might not even realise you’re losing fluids.
All these factors together can slow down how efficiently nutrients and oxygen move through your body to your baby.
How Cold Weather Links to Poor Hydration and Weaker Circulation in Pregnancy
Staying hydrated is important for proper blood flow, but in winter, you might not feel thirsty as much. Cold actually suppresses your body’s thirst signals. Even though you don’t feel like drinking, your body still needs plenty of fluids during pregnancy. Water also helps produce amniotic fluid that keeps your baby protected. So when you don’t drink enough, dehydration can sneak in easily and lower your blood volume. This makes it harder for your heart to pump blood smoothly.
A 2023 meta-analysis shows that being exposed to very cold temperatures can make these effects worse. Extreme cold triggers stress hormones that tighten blood vessels and increase blood thickness, which slows circulation. Without enough water in your system, blood flow to the uterus and placenta can drop, and the baby may suffer. Over time, this reduced circulation can be linked to certain pregnancy complications.
Does Cold Weather Affect Pregnancy’s Immune Response?
Pregnancy naturally lowers your immunity a little, so your body is more vulnerable to catching winter colds or infections. When that happens, your body responds with inflammation to fight the infection. This reaction can cause your blood vessels to tighten and slow down blood circulation.
Weakened immunity is quite common in colder months, and the risk of viral infections tends to be higher. This ties back to blood flow because infections raise stress hormones, causing vasoconstriction and less efficient nutrient circulation to the developing baby.
Can Cold Weather Impact Birth Outcomes?
Exposure to very low temperatures can make circulation problems worse. The same meta-analysis found that exposure to cold raised the overall risk of preterm birth, and the risk became higher in the later months of pregnancy. It also showed that babies are more likely to have low birth weight when their growth is affected by reduced oxygen and nutrients. Even more concerning, continuous exposure to cold throughout pregnancy was linked to a higher risk of stillbirth.
The last trimester is especially sensitive, as the baby’s growth speeds up and depends heavily on a steady flow of blood and nutrients. Interestingly, people living in warmer or moderate climates seem to be more affected by sudden cold snaps than those used to cold weather.
How to Support Better Blood Circulation During Winter Pregnancy
You can balance out these winter effects with a few simple daily habits that keep your body and baby healthy:
- Try to drink around 8 to 12 cups of water a day, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
- Dress in light layers instead of one heavy coat. This keeps you warm without making you sweat too much.
- Wash your hands regularly. It’s one of the easiest ways to lower your risk of catching infections that can cause inflammation and affect blood flow.
- Spend a little time outdoors on sunny days. Natural light boosts your mood and helps your body make vitamin D.
- Talk to your doctor about taking vitamin D supplements during winter.
- Get the flu shot to protect yourself from infections that can strain your body and make circulation problems worse.
Whether you’re pregnant, a new mom, or navigating postpartum, you don’t have to do it alone. Join our support group to connect, share, and support one another.
FAQs on How Cold Weather Affects Blood Circulation During Pregnancy — and What to Do About It
- How can I tell if my circulation is weak in winter?
You may notice cold hands and feet, tingling, mild numbness, or swelling. - What foods help improve blood circulation during pregnancy in winter?
Eat spinach, beetroot, lentils, jaggery, and citrus fruits for better blood flow.
