During the period of expectation of a child, many girls encounter a similar phenomenon, such as edema. During pregnancy, edema appears due to the fact that additional blood begins to form in the girl's body. How to determine edema during pregnancy (abdomen, legs, internal organs), not everyone knows independently. But it is not always possible to get an appointment with a specialist.
With every month, the uterus begins to increase. Increasing in volume, she begins to press on the pelvic veins and the large vein, which is located on the right side of the body. These vessels are supplied with blood from the lower parts of the body. Because of this, blood circulation begins to slow down. Water begins to remain in the tissues of the ankles and legs. There are many ways to determine whether there is swelling during pregnancy. We will get acquainted with them today.
Causes
Edema in pregnant women usually appears from the second trimester and have a different severity. The reasons can be both physiological and pathological.
An increase in the concentration of progesterone causes a delay in potassium and sodium in the kidneys. Due to this, the volume of fluid rises, which, distributed throughout the body unevenly, leads to edema.
If a woman exceeds the norm of drinking water, the kidneys, due to the pressure of the enlarged uterus, can not cope with their filtration function. Then excess accumulates in the intercellular space.
Edema can also be a symptom of a serious pregnancy complication - gestosis. There is a violation of the exchange of water and salts, the permeability of capillaries increases. Liquid is collected in the tissues of the placenta and causes oxygen starvation of the fetus, which can lead to its death.
Right ventricular heart failure is another reason for the change in body volume. Due to a decrease in the heart rate, blood accumulates in the veins, which is accompanied by a significant increase in the liver.
Morning swelling of the face is a sign of renal failure. In this case, you should seek medical help faster to reduce the threat to the health of the mother and child.
Signs
Each woman in the period of expectation of a child experiences a real fear of edema. To know how to determine edema during pregnancy, it is worth remembering the following questions:
- Is it possible to remove the ring from the finger?
- What weight gain in one week?
- With pressure on the surface of the skin, is there a trace?
How to determine if the legs are swollen during pregnancy? Yes, very simple. As soon as the shoes began to crush the leg, the limb increased in volume and rounded - this is the first sign of edema.
The listed symptoms are hard enough not to notice, since only the lower limbs can swell at the very beginning. Hands and face will be added gradually. Do not be too frivolous about your health, therefore, at the first symptoms it is important to immediately contact a specialist. It is a qualified doctor who will help reduce puffiness and take measures to prevent possible complications.
If the pregnancy is proceeding well, and the woman has no problems with her heart and kidneys, then the first edema makes itself felt only in the second trimester. How to determine edema during pregnancy in this case? For all of the above signs. Such edema is not a pathology. This is a normal condition of a woman carrying a baby.
Internal edema
During the period of gestation, the edema can be internal. There are many cases where at first glance it is impossible to recognize their presence. Usually, a more accurate diagnosis is made with regular monitoring of all changes that occur with a woman's weight.
If latent edema has occurred during pregnancy, then a significant weight gain will be noted during the gestation period, and this happens unevenly. For a more accurate determination of internal edema, it is required to monitor the volume of fluid that leaves the body.
To know how to identify internal edema during pregnancy, you need to familiarize yourself with the following information.
Edema begins to develop if a certain amount of water accumulates in the body. It is the indicators of this delay that will be subjected to analysis by a specialist. The normal rate reaches 75% of all drunk fluid. If we talk about the use of vegetables and fruits, then each of them should be equated to 50 ml of water. The result is an answer from which there are significant deviations. This indicates the development of latent puffiness of a pregnant woman. Those who think how to determine edema during pregnancy should pay attention that the symptoms are not very pronounced, but in the absence of appropriate treatment, serious complications can occur that cause irreparable harm to health.
The opinion of experts
Foreign doctors claim that any swelling during pregnancy is the norm, so do not panic and start treatment. But only in Russia, experts say the opposite. Puffiness alone can not do harm, but it often acts as the main symptom of a more serious disease. It is important to identify it at an early stage so that further treatment does not cause harm to the expectant mother and her baby.
How to remove puffiness?
If swelling appeared during pregnancy, then it is recommended that you first review the drinking regimen. Together with this, the doctor prescribes a diuretic collection and prescribes certain medications. You can not self-medicate, as an improperly selected medication can have a negative effect on the developing fetus. For pregnant women, there are many contraindications among pills, therefore it is the gynecologist who must make the right choice and explain to the patient about its harmlessness. There are a large number of different causes that cause swelling. Based on the data obtained, the selection of drugs.
Drug therapy
Those who are wondering what to do with swelling of the legs in a pregnant woman are advised at the very beginning to try the following herbal remedies:
- "Cyston" is composed of saxifrage, mummy and a number of other useful herbs. It helps to restore the functioning of the urinary system.
- Hofitol is based on artichoke leaves, therefore it can help with problems with blood flow and inflammatory processes in the genitourinary apparatus.
- Paste "Fitolizin" contains extracts of many medicinal plants. In addition, it has the essential oil of orange and peppermint. Thanks to the variety of these components, it was possible to obtain a unique combination of aromas. It is used as an antiseptic and perfectly relieves inflammation.
- Kanefron tablets consist of rosemary leaves, centaury and lovage. A great option for those who think how to relieve puffiness. Available in the form of tincture or small tablets. It is prescribed for kidney problems and has a diuretic effect. If a woman was prescribed this particular drug, then it is important for her to adhere to a specific drinking regimen.
- For women who do not know what to do with swelling of the legs in pregnant women, and they often suffer from severe contractions of smooth muscles and blood vessels, doctors advise giving preference to “Drotaverin”, “Eufillin” or “Magne B6”. The most commonly used is Eufillin, which is sold not only in tablet form, but also in drops. It is able to relieve spasms and helps to normalize the process of urine excretion. With regular use, the tone of the vascular walls is significantly reduced. Taking "Eufillin" on an empty stomach causes a number of negative reactions of the body. For example: the mucous membrane of the esophagus is irritated; headache and weakness appear; pressure decreases.
Of course, this medicine has contraindications. It is best not to use it in patients who have a history of hypotension, stomach ulcers, or heart problems. Any drug should be taken only after consultation with a gynecologist, but first you need to try to eliminate swelling without drugs.
Folk remedies
Swelling of the legs causes great discomfort and significantly complicates the life of a pregnant woman. The doctor gives a referral to laboratory tests, according to the results of which a decision will be made on the acceptable treatment. If the data do not exceed the norm, then it is quite possible to do with traditional medicine. But no one can find a universal recipe that will immediately remove unpleasant symptoms. Some patients feel better, while in others this method causes side effects. If it was decided to try traditional medicine, then this should be done with extreme caution. Any change in well-being should alert, and if symptoms intensify, it is recommended to immediately stop taking the drug.
Basic recipes
Take cranberries or lingonberries and rub them through a sieve. Pour in water and put on fire to boil the mixture. The resulting fruit juice should be drunk chilled. With it, you can not only quench your thirst, but also rid the body of excess fluid.
You can prepare a decoction of any dried fruit. Dried apricots with a diuretic effect are best suited. First you need to thoroughly rinse the fruits and put them in a pan. Pour boiling water and leave for about 1 hour. This broth is used every time thirst occurs.
Swelling of the lower extremities well eliminates the baths, consisting of cool water and sea salt. This method effectively relieves fatigue, and enhances the flow of lymph throughout the body. As a result, stagnation will not be observed in the muscular system of the legs.
Prevention
To prevent the appearance of edema, it is necessary to adhere to a number of rules.
- Mild swelling is acceptable to treat on an outpatient basis.
- It is important for pregnant women to follow a milk and vegetable diet.
- The volume of salt intake should be reduced, but in especially severe cases, this product will have to be abandoned.
- Do not lean on sugary foods and carbonated drinks, as they slow down the excretion system.
- Every day you should drink at least 1.5 liters of water, and up to 80% of the liquid should be released.
- It is forbidden to deliberately reduce the recommended volume, as this will bring even more negative consequences.
- The body with a lack of water will try to hold it, which will provoke edema.
- It is not recommended to spend a long time in a standing position or just sit.
- In hot weather, direct exposure to sunlight should be avoided.
- You can drink kidney tea and other herbal preparations, but at first it is better to consult your doctor.
If you have the slightest swelling, you should immediately go to a specialist who is pregnant. This unpleasant phenomenon can be dealt with, but only with timely access to medical care.