Contents:
- Medical Video: Pregnancy Health Tips : Treating Breathing Difficulties During Pregnancy
- Quite a lot of pregnant women who experience shortness of breath
- Now, what causes shortness of breath during pregnancy?
- Can shortness of breath during pregnancy be a sign of a medical problem?
Medical Video: Pregnancy Health Tips : Treating Breathing Difficulties During Pregnancy
There are many changes to your body during pregnancy. Just imagine, your stomach can be many times larger than usual. This makes you gain weight and feel very heavy when on the move. No wonder if pregnant women get tired easily after a day of doing routine. Some mothers even feel short of breath during pregnancy. Why? Want to know the reason? See the explanation below.
Quite a lot of pregnant women who experience shortness of breath
According to a study published in 2015, around 60-70% of pregnant women experience shortness of breath during pregnancy. This can occur in all conditions of pregnancy, including women with normal pregnancies.
Doctors often associate shortness of breath with the development of the uterus that continues to grow, so that it urges the lungs on it and makes it difficult for pregnant women to breathe.
Now, what causes shortness of breath during pregnancy?
Shortness of breath in pregnant women may not only be caused by one factor, but can be caused by various factors ranging from the uterus that continues to grow to changes in heart performance. In addition, maternal oxygen demand increases during pregnancy, also contributes to pregnant women experiencing shortness of breath.
Shortness of breath can occur in various phases in pregnancy. There are pregnant women who have begun to feel shortness of breath starting from the first trimester, while other pregnant women just feel short of breath in the second and third trimesters.
Some causes of shortness of breath in pregnant women, such as:
- Uterine development. The uterus that begins to develop in the first trimester also presses the diaphragm (muscle tissue that separates the heart and lungs with the stomach) up as high as 4 cm, so this affects the breathing of pregnant women. Pregnant women may start unable to take deep breaths in the first trimester.
- Hormonal changes during pregnancy. Changes in the hormone progesterone during pregnancy can also affect breathing, making the breathing of pregnant women faster. Progesterone directly affects the lungs and stimulates the respiratory center in the brain.
- Increased heart performance. This is because the heart must pump blood harder to drain blood throughout the body, including the placenta. The increased workload of the heart can cause pregnant women to experience shortness of breath.
Can shortness of breath during pregnancy be a sign of a medical problem?
Shortness of breath is a common thing in pregnant women. This is caused by various changes that occur in the body of pregnant women.
Don't worry, this condition is safe for your prospective baby. However, severe shortness of breath can also be a symptom of a medical problem.
Medical problems that can cause shortness of breath in pregnant women, namely:
- Asthma. Pregnancy can worsen existing asthma symptoms. In addition to asthma, shortness of breath can also be exacerbated if pregnant women have anemia or high blood pressure.
- Pulmonary embolism. This occurs when a blood clot attaches to the arteries in the lungs. Emboli can directly affect breathing and cause coughing, chest pain, and shortness of breath. However, this condition is very rare.
- Peripartum cardiomyopathy. Is one type of heart failure that can occur during pregnancy or immediately after giving birth. Symptoms include swelling of the ankles, low blood pressure, fatigue, and a non-rhythmic heartbeat or palpitations.
