Does using a warm baby in winter really affect pregnancy?

As the weather gets colder in winter, using a hot pack can keep you warm. However, there is news that using a hot pack can cause infertility. So what is the heating principle of a hot pack? What are the safety precautions for using a hot pack? How to correctly view radiation? How can pregnant women keep warm in winter? The following editor will introduce you in detail.

How to keep warm during winter for pregnant women

If conditions permit, try to use central heating at home so that the temperature in the home is constant, which is better for pregnant women. However, the humidity in the house should be increased to avoid it being too dry, which can easily cause discomfort to pregnant women. It is better to put a few basins of water in the house.

If you don't have a radiator, you can use air conditioning to keep warm. However, if you use air conditioning for a long time, the room will be very dry, which is worse than using heating. You need to use a humidifier at home. Maintaining a certain humidity is good for the human body.

In addition to radiators and air conditioners, if your home is small, you can use a small sun or electric heater for heating, which is enough for a small house. However, you should pay attention to the safety of such electrical appliances and buy quality guaranteed ones.

If the conditions at home are average, you can only use a honeycomb stove, but pregnant women should try to avoid getting close to the honeycomb stove. The smell of coal balls is harmful to the health of pregnant women and children. In addition to doing a good job of smoke exhaust, you should also open windows regularly for ventilation.

If the family conditions are poor, pregnant women should work hard to wear cotton clothes. They can ask the elderly to help make a thicker cotton jacket for them to wear, which will be much warmer. At night, they can put a hot water bottle in the quilt to keep warm.

When the sun is shining brightly, you can feel much warmer by basking in the sun. This is a relatively economical way to keep warm and can also supplement vitamin D.

How does the warm baby generate heat?

First, I bought a pack of mainstream brand warm baby from the supermarket. The raw materials on its packaging include the following:

Iron powder, water, activated carbon, vermiculite, absorbent resin, salt.

In order to prove the package is true, we violently opened a warm baby (this operation is carried out under professional guidance, please do not try it at home). This is what it looks like after opening it:

The black powder is mainly iron powder and activated carbon.

The heating principle is: the water in the raw materials is stored in the activated carbon and sealed in the package with other raw materials. After the package is opened, air enters, and the oxygen in the air oxidizes with the iron powder and water to become iron hydroxide, which releases heat under the catalysis of salt. Iron hydroxide is unstable and will turn into iron oxide and water, which will be absorbed by the water-absorbent resin.

The reason why the warm baby can heat up slowly and continuously is due to the non-woven breathable film of the inner packaging and the vermiculite in the raw material. The non-woven breathable film allows air to enter slowly, and the oxidation reaction will not occur too quickly; vermiculite is a very good thermal insulation material, which allows heat to dissipate slowly. After we opened the inner packaging, the iron powder oxidized quickly and became very hot immediately.

The above is the heating principle of the warm baby. In fact, it is very simple, and mainly uses high school chemistry knowledge. In these processes, no radiation will be generated. In order to reassure everyone, I specially grabbed a handful of raw materials and held them in my palm:

The only raw material that may pose a safety hazard is iron powder. Some small workshops may use industrial waste iron powder to reduce costs, which may bring risks such as radiation. Therefore, when buying a hot pack, you should still choose a genuine product from a regular channel. However, this principle should apply to everything you buy.

Safety precautions for warm baby

Burns: Low-temperature burns generally refer to skin damage caused by prolonged contact with a medium-temperature heat source. Studies have shown that the lowest temperature that can cause burns to human skin is 44°C. As the temperature rises, the damage worsens accordingly. Although the temperature of the heat source for low-temperature burns is not very high, if the contact time is long, the heat energy can be conducted from the surface to the deep tissue, causing damage to the deep dermis of the skin or even the deep subcutaneous tissue. When the heat pack is heated, the temperature can be as high as over 60 degrees. If it is in contact for a long time, low-temperature burns are likely to occur. Therefore, the heat pack should not be used when sleeping, and it should not be used at the same time as close-range heating devices such as electric blankets.

Allergy: The heat pack is to be attached to clothing, so there will be adhesive. If it comes into direct contact with the skin, it may cause allergies. Therefore, the heat pack must be avoided from being attached directly to the skin, and it is best to stick it on the inside of the coat.

Pregnant women and infants are prohibited from using: pregnant women using warm packs, especially near the uterus, may cause uterine contractions, leading to premature birth, miscarriage, etc. Infants are not sensitive to temperature and have delicate skin, making them more susceptible to burns.

Others: For patients with dysmenorrhea and arthritis, the hot pack can relieve the discomfort caused by low temperature, but it has no therapeutic effect. Diabetic patients and patients with blood circulation diseases should consult a doctor before using the hot pack. Using a hot pack does not mean that you can wear less clothes in winter.

How to correctly view radiation

No matter what it is, as long as it involves radiation, we will be very nervous. Why do we talk about radiation? Because when the word "radiation" is mentioned, it is easy to associate it with another word - "carcinogenic".

It is true that some radiation can cause cancer, such as nuclear radiation. Most of the horrific radiation-induced cancer incidents we can think of are caused by nuclear radiation.

In addition to nuclear radiation, there is another kind of radiation - electromagnetic radiation. It is widely present in nature and life. As long as there is an electromagnetic field, there is electromagnetic radiation.

The carcinogenic effect of electromagnetic radiation is related to its energy. The shorter the wavelength, the higher the frequency and the greater the energy, the more likely it is to cause cancer. Ionizing radiation in electromagnetic radiation belongs to this category. It has high energy and can ionize matter.

In the carcinogen rating of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) under the World Health Organization, ionizing radiation is classified as Level 1, which means it is definitely carcinogenic. It includes many types, most of which are used in industry, medicine, experiments, etc. The most familiar ionizing radiation is X-rays, such as X-rays and CT scans in hospitals.

The radiation from common mobile phones, microwave ovens, computers, etc. in our daily lives belongs to non-ionizing radiation in electromagnetic radiation. This type of radiation is rated as Class 2B by IARC - it may cause cancer. This means that some studies have found that it has a certain correlation with cancer, but there is no definite evidence that it can cause cancer. We don't need to worry about these electromagnetic radiation in our lives.

So, when we hear the word "radiation", don't panic. Think calmly about whether this thing really has radiation. If so, think about whether this radiation is really harmful.