Title: What to do if the woman has a fever
Course: Antenatal Care Part 1 - Ethiopia (Full)

What to do if the woman has a fever

A fever can be caused by:

- Sickness — for example, flu or malaria
- An infection of part of the body — like a bladder infection, or an infection of the uterus
- A mild fever can also be caused by dehydration (loss of body fluids due to not drinking enough water).

If the fever does not come down in 8 hours, refer her to a health centre.

A high fever needs to be lowered right away. To lower a fever:

- Give 500 to 1,000 mg (milligrams) paracetamol by mouth every four to six hours
- Have her drink one cup of fluid every hour
- Wash her body with a cloth dipped in cool water.