Shortness of breath during pregnancy, causes and how to deal with it & bull; hello healthy

When pregnant, gaining weight and an enlarged stomach is something that cannot be avoided. This can make you feel complaints during pregnancy such as getting tired more easily to shortness of breath during activities. Is this condition common? Find out about the causes and ways to deal with shortness of breath during pregnancy below.

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Is shortness of breath during pregnancy common?

Shortness of breath or dyspnea is a condition such as an intense feeling of tightness in the chest area, difficulty breathing, to a feeling of suffocation. Therefore, pregnant women can feel uncomfortable.

Quoted from the March of Dimes, shortness of breath during pregnancy is a common thing. Most pregnant women experience this condition both in the first and last trimester of pregnancy.

Generally, this condition is not dangerous and does not affect the amount of oxygen the baby receives. Moreover, about 70% of women experience this one respiratory problem.

This can occur in all conditions of pregnancy, including women with normal pregnancies without pregnancy complications.

Doctors often associate shortness of breath with an ever-expanding uterus. This can make the supply of air that enters the lungs reduced, making it difficult for pregnant women to breathe.

What are the causes of shortness of breath during pregnancy?

Although this condition is common, shortness of breath during pregnancy may not only be caused by one factor, but can be caused by a variety of other factors.

These causes or factors can be due to the growing uterus to changes in the performance of the heart.

Moreover, the need for oxygen in pregnant women is increasing so that it often triggers shortness of breath.

It should also be noted that shortness of breath can occur at various stages of pregnancy.

There are pregnant women who have started to feel short of breath from the first trimester. Meanwhile, other pregnant women just feel short of breath in the second and third trimester.

Here are some causes of shortness of breath during pregnancy that you need to know, such as:

1. Development of the uterus

The uterus is an organ in the body that is elastic so that its size can change according to the development of the baby in it.

As the baby develops in each trimester of pregnancy, what happens is the uterus presses on the diaphragm (the muscle tissue that separates the heart and lungs from the stomach).

When gestational age is at week 31 to week 34, the uterus will rise as high as 4 cm, so this affects the breathing of pregnant women.

Therefore, pregnant women may begin to be unable to take deep breaths in the first trimester.

2. Hormonal changes during pregnancy.

Changes in the hormone progesterone during pregnancy can also cause mothers to experience shortness of breath during pregnancy.

In the first few weeks of pregnancy, the normal hormone build-up occurs, making you breathe more often and look like you are short of breath.

Not only that, the hormone progesterone can also increase the oxygen capacity in the lungs.

This happens because the blood circulation also increases to carry large amounts of oxygen to the baby.

3. Improved cardiac performance

During pregnancy, the heart must pump more blood to be able to circulate blood throughout the body, including the placenta.

Therefore, the increased workload of the heart can cause pregnant women to experience shortness of breath.

4. Approaching delivery time

The closer to the time of delivery, it is possible for the mother to experience shortness of breath during pregnancy at a more than usual level.

This is because the position of the baby is more down to the pelvis. This reduces the pressure on the lungs and diaphragm.

Medical conditions that cause shortness of breath during pregnancy

Of the various changes that occur in pregnant women, this makes shortness of breath during pregnancy.

While this is common, there are other conditions that can make shortness of breath become another health problem.

Here are some other medical problems that cause shortness of breath during pregnancy, such as:

1. Asthma

Pregnant women with asthma need to be more careful because pregnancy can worsen existing asthma symptoms.

Apart from asthma, shortness of breath can also be exacerbated if pregnant women have anemia or high blood pressure.

2. Pulmonary embolism

This condition occurs when blood clots stick to the arteries in the lungs.

Pulmonary embolism can directly affect breathing and cause coughing, chest pain, and shortness of breath. However, this condition is very rare.

3. Peripartum cardiomyopathy

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a type of heart failure that can occur during pregnancy or after childbirth.

Symptoms include swelling of the ankles, low blood pressure, fatigue, and an irregular or racing heartbeat.

In addition to the medical conditions mentioned above, see a doctor immediately if shortness of breath during pregnancy is accompanied by:

• Pain in the chest.
• Bleeding cough.
• Fever accompanied by dizziness to chills.
• Lips, toes and hands turn blue.

How to deal with shortness of breath during pregnancy

This condition is classified as unavoidable. However, there are several ways you can do to make it easier for you to breathe, such as:

• Sit or stand straight. This position leaves more room for the lungs to expand.
• Do not rush in activities to reduce the work of the heart and lungs.
• Raising your hands above your head relieves the pressure so that you can inhale more air.
• Use a pillow under the sides to reduce pressure on the lungs so that it is easier to breathe.

It is also important to remember that you always tell your doctor about the condition of your pregnancy.

This is done to prevent health problems for you and the baby in the womb.

It's best to call your doctor immediately when shortness of breath during pregnancy gets worse or interferes with activities.

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