Conception and development of the embryo is a complex process. During this period, there is a violation of the hormonal background and the general well-being of the woman. The load on each cell of the body increases several times, which cannot but affect its health. According to statistics, almost every third patient in obstetrics and gynecology is faced with the phenomenon of edema during pregnancy. This will be discussed in this article.
Basic concepts
Swelling during pregnancy is the most common ailment. It represents an excessive accumulation of fluid in the interstitial space of a certain part of the body. An excess of sodium, which interferes with the natural elimination of fluid, becomes a provocateur of disturbed circulation. Edema usually goes away on its own without harming the health of the woman. However, fluid buildup can cause a more serious illness. Therefore, it is very important to timely report an illness to a medical specialist.
Classification
Several types of edema during pregnancy can be distinguished, depending on which part of the body was affected.
| Part of the body | Short description |
| Legs | Accumulation of fluid becomes noticeable in the foot and lower leg. The patient has to buy shoes 1-2 sizes larger than the original (before pregnancy) |
| Arms | Fingers increase in size. Favorite rings become small. |
| Face | Bags under the eyes appear. The shape of the face changes. Sinuses increase |
Causes
The accumulation of fluid in a certain part of the body causes severe discomfort for the expectant mother. Few people want to face a similar ailment. To protect yourself from its development, you need to “be safe” in advance, having learned the main causes of edema. They are as follows:
- Long-term use of narrow shoes made of thick material. Such fixation of the foot or lower leg interferes with the full circulation of the blood. Throughout the day, especially in the evening, it is recommended to wear shoes with low heels made of well-stretched material.
- Sedentary work is an enemy to the health of a future mother. It is another cause of fluid buildup in the lower limbs. It is recommended that you take short walks at least once every two hours.
- Any monotonous work: typing or writing texts, needlework, causes fluid stagnation in the palm of your hand.
- Blood circulation may be impaired due to the constant wearing of jewelry.
- Facial edema is worried by a small percentage of pregnant women. Stagnant fluid occurs due to the individual characteristics of the body - loose fiber.
The most common causes of edema characteristic of a woman’s “interesting position” are listed above. It is worth considering that a violation of fluid circulation can be a consequence of a viral disease or an allergic reaction.
Preventative measures
Knowing why the legs swell during pregnancy, you can protect yourself from fluid stagnation in them. The same applies to other parts of the body. There are several preventative measures to avoid this phenomenon.
- Doctors strongly recommend a healthy diet during pregnancy. The constant use of healthy foods will prevent the formation of fluid stagnation and excessive weight gain of mother and baby.
- Do not eat a lot of salty foods. It is salt that contains sodium, which contributes to the violation of the natural excretion of fluid from the body. The daily rate of this substance for a pregnant woman should not exceed 1.5 grams.
- Any person should drink 1.5 liters of pure water per day. Only in this case will the water-salt balance be maintained.
- At least 30 minutes a day should be given to walking outdoors.
- After the end of the working day, it is recommended to do foot massage. During pregnancy, the load on the lower extremities increases several times, so this procedure is very necessary.
Important: expectant mothers can perform light and slow physical activities, but this can only be done in the absence of pathologies and in good health.
The first "bells"
It is important to know not only why the legs swell during pregnancy, but also how to correctly recognize the pathology. There are several obvious symptoms of fluid stagnation:
- Things, shoes, jewelry are getting small.
- Intensive weight gain. Normally, a woman should not gain more than 300 grams in seven days.
- It is easiest to recognize swelling of the hands during pregnancy. About this disease will tell a slight tingling in the fingers and their numbness.
- Rapid heartbeat, provoking the appearance of shortness of breath.
- Hanged pressure.
Secondary signs of edema during pregnancy are an obvious increase in the size of the limbs or face.
If at least one of all of the above symptoms appears, you should immediately inform your consulting gynecologist about this.
Positive and negative dynamics
A normal reaction is the appearance of edema in the evening after a long day. During a night's rest, this ailment goes away on its own. In this case, drug intervention is not required.
If swelling persists constantly, then a comprehensive treatment is necessary. Otherwise, the likelihood of developing complications increases.
The dangers
A woman who wants to become a mother should know about the danger of edema during pregnancy. Knowing the possible consequences, it is unlikely that she will have a desire not to report a problem to a consulting doctor.
An excessive amount of stagnant fluid in the body breaks the connection between the mother and the child through the placenta. Accordingly, there is oxygen starvation, which provokes abortion.
Leg swelling during late pregnancy can give impetus to the functioning of the kidneys and heart. Often patients have shortness of breath, tachycardia develops, problems with urination occur, and seemingly forgotten toxicosis makes itself felt. Deteriorating state of a pregnant woman negatively affects the full development of the fetus.
Diagnostic measures
- A visit to the gynecologist is required, during which you should report the presence of a similar problem.
- The specialist will conduct a visual inspection, calculate the weight gain and measure the size of the limbs.
Such events are enough to make a diagnosis. Upon confirmation of fluid stagnation, the patient will be prescribed massage, appropriate treatment and diet.
If swelling of the legs during pregnancy in the later stages is detected, the patient is transferred to a hospital under the full supervision of specialists.
Health Food Treatment
At home, you need to try using simple methods to avoid the appearance of edema. The first thing to do is to follow a diet for edema during pregnancy. Limited salt intake will prevent the disease from progressing further.
List of allowed products:
- Steamed dishes.
- Lean meat.
- Fresh or boiled vegetables.
- Herbal teas.
- Fresh fruits.
- Low-fat fish.
List of prohibited products:
- Pickles.
- Sausages.
- Fried food.
- Chocolate.
- Coffee, cocoa, hot chocolate.
- Preservatives
Experts recommend combining the use of healthy products for edema during pregnancy with the holding of fasting days. But you can do this no more than once a week and only after the permission of the doctor.
Gymnastics
If there is no threat to the health of the mother and baby, then mild physical exertion can be introduced to treat edema at an early stage. There are many examples of sports disciplines for expectant mothers:
- Aerobics in the water.
- Swimming.
- Hiking
- Daily exercise.
- Finger gymnastics.
Any moderate exercise is only beneficial for a pregnant woman. She feels more energetic, her mood rises, cellulite disappears, skin condition improves, her spine and back become stronger. When playing sports, blood flow improves, sweat glands begin to work actively, which helps to reduce swelling.
About the benefit of the bandage
Many representatives of the weak half of humanity have heard of such a modern device as a bandage. That it is an excellent tool for the prevention and treatment of edema.
When worn, the growing belly will always be in the correct position. This fixation will not allow the development of a violation of blood circulation, therefore, there will be no stagnation of the liquid. The same compression qualities are possessed by modern compression underwear: knee-high socks and stockings. In addition to the possible occurrence of edema, they will also save a woman from the development of varicose veins.
A bandage and compression underwear is an effective measure only if it is correctly selected and correctly worn (strictly in a prone position).
About edema and bad habits
For a long time, experts have established the fact of the negative impact of bad habits during pregnancy. The penetration of nicotine into the body stimulates the expansion of the veins and harms every cell. It is proved that future mothers who smoke are more likely to suffer from swelling.
Another enemy to health is alcohol. Drinks containing alcohol affect the woman’s body to varying degrees: for some, they can cause dehydration, and for others, the opposite reaction is excessive fluid accumulation.
Cosmetic treatment
The first question that torments patients with a similar ailment is how to remove leg swelling during pregnancy? If the disease has an easy stage, then in this case it is reasonable to use cosmetics.
Salt baths
- It is required to fill a bath or any other container with warm water. The temperature should not exceed 37.5 degrees.
- Gently pour 4-5 tablespoons of sea salt into the liquid.
- Now, you can lower your legs in salt water.
The total duration of the procedure should not exceed 15 minutes.
Baby cream
- Grease the limbs with a baby cream.
- Further, within 10-15 minutes, it is necessary to actively warm the legs with massaging movements.
Similar procedures can be performed with swelling of the hands. Contraindication for this procedure is the presence of wounds on the skin.
Drug treatment
How to remove leg swelling during pregnancy if the disease has progressed to a serious stage? In this case, only medications will help. There are several groups of drugs.
Herbal preparations. These include “Fitolizin”, “Cyston” or “Kanefron”. They help to remove excess fluid and reduce swelling. However, they have absolutely no side effects.
- Use diuretic with caution in pregnancy. For example, "Diacarb." Such funds remove potassium from the body, which is necessary for the full bearing of the baby.
- The most dangerous stage of edema is cramping and tingling. The well-known drug under the name "No-Shpa" will help relieve pain
- If gestosis is detected (pregnancy complications with edema, convulsions, increased pressure), the patient is treated only in a hospital. Several times a day, droppers are given to her, contributing to the normalization of general health. In this case, it is forbidden to take a diuretic during pregnancy.
- With local stagnation of fluid in the nose, a pregnant woman has a feeling of stuffiness. Rinse your nose only with saline.
When edema occurs, it is forbidden to self-medicate. All drugs should be taken strictly as directed by a specialist.
Treatment with folk remedies
Often, women expecting a baby are reluctant to take medication. They strive to remove the ailment by proven "grandmother" methods. There are several ways to deal with edema folk remedies.
Lingonberry broth.
Lingonberry leaves are an excellent choleretic agent. Of these, you can make a tincture that will help get rid of edema. It is prepared as follows:
- Grind dried or fresh leaves of lingonberry. The total amount of grass should be two tablespoons.
- They need to be filled with boiling water (one liter is enough).
- The total duration of infusion is 15 minutes. After this time has elapsed, it can be filtered and taken orally.
- The permissible rate of use of lingonberry tea is 3-4 times a day.
Such a decoction is contraindicated in high blood pressure.
Rosehip broth.
The benefits of this plant can be talked about endlessly. it is a source of vitamin C, which significantly strengthens the immune system. Rosehip is a charge of vivacity and well-being, plus an excellent antiviral agent. In addition, a decoction of rose hips copes with edema during pregnancy.
- In a thermos, you need to carefully pour the washed fruits of the plant in the amount of 2 tablespoons.
- The container should be filled with boiling water (take at least 500 milliliters).
- It is required to let it brew. It takes at least a day.
Every day you need to drink an infusion of 100 milliliters before eating. The daily norm is 3-4 use.
To enhance the taste, you can add lemon or honey.
How to remove swelling from the face
Much has been said about what to drink with edema during pregnancy, how to reduce the amount of stagnant fluid from the limbs. It remains to say a few words about how to remove swelling from the face.
First of all, you need to use a high pillow for sleep. In this case, the head will be in a raised position relative to the body. This prevents fluid retention.
It is recommended to use cold compresses to improve blood circulation in this area. To do this, it is enough to moisten the towel with cold water and put it on your face. If you want to enhance the effect, you can soak the fabric with cold herbal infusion.
Why do legs swell during pregnancy? For pregnant women, this question is quite natural. Usually this condition goes away on its own and does not require any treatment. But there are situations when medical intervention is a prerequisite.
Bearing a baby is the same condition when you need to take care of your health and listen to every change that occurs in the body so as not to harm the full development of your child.