Shortness of breath during pregnancy
What is shortness of breath during pregnancy?
As pregnancy progresses, a woman may notice that she has begun to have difficulty breathing, especially after performing daily activities, such as climbing stairs. This is a common problem during pregnancy, and may begin even in the first trimester.
A study conducted in 2015 indicates that approximately 60-70% of pregnant women suffer from shortness of breath during pregnancy.
Causes of shortness of breath during pregnancy
During the first trimester of pregnancy:
The fetus does not need to be large to cause changes in the mother's breathing, as the diaphragm rises by approximately 4 cm during the first trimester of pregnancy.
The movement of the diaphragm helps the lungs fill with air, and while some women may not notice a change in breathing, some may not be able to take full, deep breaths.
In addition, the body needs more oxygen during pregnancy, and adapts to this increase in the need for oxygen by increasing hormone levels, especially progesterone, which directly affects the lungs and stimulates the respiratory center in the brain.
Although the number of breaths changes slightly, the amount of air inhaled with each breath increases dramatically.
During the second trimester of pregnancy:
A pregnant woman may begin to feel short of breath more than before, and this is usually due to the growth of the uterus and its pressure on the diaphragm, especially if she is pregnant with twins or has an increase in the volume of amniotic fluid.
A difference in the working mechanism of the heart may also cause this problem, as the amount of blood in a woman’s body increases significantly during pregnancy, which increases the burden on the heart and makes it need to pump blood more forcefully to move the blood through the body and the placenta to reach the fetus, which may lead to a feeling of tightness. Breathing.
During the third trimester of pregnancy:
At this stage, breathing may become easier or more difficult depending on the location of the baby’s head, as some mothers may feel that the baby’s head is under one of their ribs and pressing on the diaphragm, which makes breathing more difficult.
This condition often occurs in the 31-34 week of pregnancy, before the baby begins to turn and direct the head toward the uterus in preparation for birth. After that, the mother may feel more comfortable breathing.
Other causes of shortness of breath during pregnancy:
While the physical changes that occur during pregnancy may cause some shortness of breath, some health conditions may also increase the problem, and these conditions include the following:
Asthma:
Pregnancy may cause worsening asthma symptoms, so any woman with asthma who is planning to become pregnant should talk to her doctor about safe treatments for asthma during pregnancy, such as inhalers or other medications.
Perinatal cardiomyopathy:
It is a type of heart failure that may appear during pregnancy or immediately after birth, and its symptoms include swelling in the ankles, low blood pressure, fatigue and heart palpitations. Most women may attribute these symptoms to pregnancy, but this condition may seriously affect the woman’s health. She requires health care and treatment.
Pulmonary embolism:
It occurs when one of the lung arteries becomes blocked by a blood clot, which may greatly affect breathing, causing coughing, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
Amniotic fluid embolism:
It is a complication of pregnancy, and it results when amniotic fluid, cells from the fetus, hair, or any other substance leak into the mother’s bloodstream.
Water retention:
It is one of the common problems during pregnancy, as fluid retention may affect the lungs and sinuses, which may make breathing difficult.
Anemia
The body uses iron stores to form red blood cells that transport oxygen. In cases of anemia associated with iron deficiency, the body will need to work harder to provide oxygen to the mother and her baby, leading to shortness of breath, so mothers are often given high doses of iron supplements during pregnancy. Pregnancy.
Some other health problems may also affect breathing during pregnancy, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and infectious diseases that affect the lungs.
Tips for living with shortness of breath during pregnancy
If you feel short of breath, you can try the following things to relieve the condition:
* Perform your daily activities slowly and slowly, and do not put pressure on yourself when carrying out your duties.
* When sitting, sit upright and keep your shoulders back, to give the lungs more room to expand and take in a larger amount of air.
* Practice the movement positions correctly, which helps keep the uterus away from the diaphragm as much as possible. You can also use a pregnancy support belt, which helps maintain the correct positions during movement.
* Elevate yourself slightly by using pillows to support your upper back when sleeping, which helps gravity pull the uterus down and give the lungs more room to breathe.
* While sleeping, bend slightly towards the left side, which helps keep the uterus away from the aorta, which is the largest artery that transports oxygenated blood to the body.
* Practice breathing techniques commonly used during childbirth, such as Lamaze breathing, as practicing these techniques during pregnancy may help the woman use them when the time comes for childbirth, in addition to helping with the problem of shortness of breath.
* Be patient, you will return to breathing normally after giving birth, endure the hardships of pregnancy and do not forget the overwhelming joy you will feel when you become a mother and hold your child in your hands for the first time.
Complications of shortness of breath during pregnancy
When can shortness of breath indicate serious problems during pregnancy?
Sometimes, especially if the mother suffers from respiratory problems such as asthma or influenza, the symptoms of the disease may worsen during pregnancy and the severity of the attacks may increase, which may pose a risk to the mother and the fetus. Therefore, you should inform your doctor if you feel short of breath as a result of a respiratory disease such as influenza.
As pregnant women are more susceptible to developing respiratory complications such as pneumonia, hence the importance of the pregnant woman receiving the influenza vaccine during the season.
If you feel any of the following symptoms, you should immediately seek medical care:
1: Difficulty breathing suddenly or severely.
2: Deterioration in asthma symptoms.
3 :Rapid or irregular heartbeat.
4:The feeling that you are going to lose consciousness.
5: Chest pain, or pain when breathing.
6: Pale skin.
7: The color of the lips, fingers or toes changes to blue.
8: Feeling or fearing that you are not getting enough oxygen.
9: A persistent cough, or a cough accompanied by fever or chills, or a cough that comes out with blood.
Also, as a result of a change in the way blood clotting occurs during pregnancy, the risk of a blood clot developing and traveling to the lungs and pulmonary embolism increases. Although this condition is rare, it is very dangerous.
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