8 Causes of chest pain during pregnancy, should you be worried?

Of the various complaints of pregnant women, one that is often felt is chest pain. So, is chest pain during pregnancy normal or is it a sign of danger? Check out what are the causes and how to overcome them!

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Is chest pain during pregnancy a sign of danger?

Pressure in the area of ​​the heart and circulatory system is a condition that is often experienced by women during pregnancy.

During this time, your blood volume increases up to 50 percent to nourish the developing baby. This condition makes women experience chest pain or pain during pregnancy.

Quoted from Tommy's, chest pain during pregnancy is quite worrying. However, not all problems stem from the heart.

Therefore, you should tell your doctor what symptoms you feel to prevent other pregnancy complications.

What are the causes of chest pain during pregnancy?

Having chest pain during pregnancy suddenly may worry you.

Take it easy, although it looks scary, this problem does not always indicate a dangerous condition.

In general, chest pain during pregnancy is caused by various things related to pregnancy and fetal development.

Here are some possible causes of chest pain or pain during pregnancy, including:

1. Widening of the ribs

During pregnancy, your ribs will widen, causing the muscles in your chest to become stretched.

Pressure on the diaphragm, ribs, and muscles in the chest is what causes pain and shortness of breath.

This will continue as the baby in the womb develops.

2. Indigestion

Foods that are gassy, ​​spicy, or that are not suitable for your stomach can sometimes cause indigestion.

The gas produced by these foods will rise and be between the chest and stomach, namely the gut.

This pain and discomfort can usually go up to the chest causing chest pain during pregnancy.

3. Heartburn

Heartburn is a burning or burning sensation in the chest due to stomach acid rising back up into the esophagus. This condition is usually caused by certain foods.

However, during pregnancy, the level of the hormone progesterone increases, which weakens the esophageal muscles and becomes too loose.

This is what makes it easy for stomach acid to go back up into the esophagus, causing chest pain during pregnancy.

4. Pressure from the baby

The older you are in your pregnancy, the bigger the baby will be in your belly.

Changes in the size of the baby and stomach will put more pressure on the ribs or diaphragm, which can trigger chest pain during pregnancy.

5. Stress

Stress during pregnancy not only has a big influence on the condition of the baby in the womb, your body also feels the effects.

One of them causes chest pain due to tight and tight chest muscles.

6. Changes in breast size

There are many changes that you will experience during pregnancy, one of which is the enlarged breast size.

This can lead to shortness of breath or chest pain due to muscle and joint tension in the chest.

7. Heart attack

Chest pain that feels like a heavy object has been hit, especially on the left side, is a sign of a heart attack during pregnancy.

Usually, a heart attack during pregnancy is also accompanied by other symptoms such as dizziness, shortness of breath, numbness in several limbs, and cold sweat.

Deep vein thrombosis or deep vein platelets is a medical term to describe the presence of blood clots in a vein.

Pregnancy usually increases the risk of blood vessel clots located in the pelvis and legs.

This blood clot can travel in the body until it reaches the chest.

That is why you will feel chest pain when you breathe, fast heartbeat, shortness of breath, and cough up blood during pregnancy.

How to deal with chest pain during pregnancy

The doctor will give several types of medicines for certain cases when the chest hurts during pregnancy.

Usually, the drug is given if this condition has interfered with daily activities accompanied by dizziness, shortness of breath, and weakness.

You will be advised to consume vitamins, as well as to increase the variety of daily foods to meet the nutritional needs of pregnant women.

Especially foods that are rich in minerals, iron, calcium and magnesium.

Not only that, there are also several treatments that can also help with chest pain during pregnancy, namely:

1. Pay attention to body posture

If you've been hunched over all this time, whether it's sitting or standing, it's best to change to good posture from now on.

Hunched over posture can affect the lungs, making it seem like they don't have enough room to breathe.

The solution, try to always sit and stand in an upright position in order to facilitate the breathing process while dealing with chest pain during pregnancy.

2. Manage stress

Set aside time a few times a week to take a yoga or meditation class.

Not only that, you can also do this activity yourself at home.

Doing meditation or yoga can be enough to help calm the body from stress and fatigue that seems to overload the body.

That way, the possibility of developing chest pain during pregnancy can be minimized.

3. Avoid triggers from food and drink

During pregnancy, you are not advised to smoke, drink alcohol, eat oily and spicy foods, and consume caffeine.

Tea, coffee, and chocolate are sources of caffeine and the amount of consumption must be limited or even eliminated altogether.

In essence, as much as possible avoid consumption of food or drinks that can cause disturbances in the digestive system.

The reason is, this can trigger an increase in stomach acid so that it makes the chest hurt during pregnancy.

Instead, consume foods and drinks that can help meet daily nutritional needs.

Eating portions can also be tricked into smaller but frequent meals to prevent stomach upset and stomach acid from rising.

4. Get enough rest

Avoid doing too much activity because it is feared that it can make your chest feel more sore when you are pregnant.

Also make sure your rest time is sufficient, aka not too much or not too little.

Meanwhile, try some sleeping positions that at least make you more comfortable.

To be more comfortable, try using a higher pillow as a support for your head while sleeping. This method will make it easier for you to breathe freely.

Then, remember to avoid lying down immediately or sleeping after eating because it can cause digestive problems.

When to see a doctor

In some cases, chest pain during pregnancy can be a sign that something is wrong with your body.

It's just that you can't immediately guess whether this condition is reasonable or not before knowing what the underlying cause is.

So, don't hesitate to consult your doctor about what you feel during pregnancy.

Moreover, if the chest pain during pregnancy does not improve, it gets worse every day.

The doctor will perform an examination to find out the exact cause.

If needed, the doctor will also give you medication to reduce pain that is safe for you and your baby.