Shortness of breath during pregnancy
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| Shortness of breath during pregnancy |
Shortness of breath during pregnancy: should I be worried?
During pregnancy, feeling out of breath is not abnormal. Why and how to relieve your breathing?
Fairly early in pregnancy, the pregnant woman may feel out of breath at the slightest effort. This is a completely normal state since it is only a consequence of the physiological changes necessary to meet the needs of the baby. Indeed, one pregnant woman out of two is dyspneic, that is to say she has difficulty breathing.
Why am I out of breath when pregnant, even with the slightest effort?
The heart works harder
"When a woman is pregnant, the blood volume increases and therefore, mechanically, the body needs more oxygen because it has to provide it to an extra little being," begins the midwife. Indeed, to meet the oxygen needs of the placenta and the fetus, estimated at 20 to 30%, the cardio-respiratory system is more stressed. The blood volume increases, leading to an increase in the heart rate and therefore the rate of oxygen capture per minute. It is estimated that one in two pregnant women are short of breath.
The uterus grows and puts pressure on the diaphragm
"With pregnancy, our lungs have less and less space as the pregnancy progresses since the uterus grows and puts pressure on the diaphragm. So, when we breathe in, the lungs have less room to inflate - lung capacity is reduced in a way - which explains why the pregnant woman may have more difficulty breathing and feel slightly short of breath," explains the expert.
It should also be noted, as the midwife explains, that excessive weight gain is de facto detrimental to breathing. "It's quite logical. The more weight you gain, the more you feel the slightest force. You should try not to gain more than 12 kilos, as health professionals recommend."
How to relieve shortness of breath during pregnancy?
Shortness of breath during pregnancy is physiological, so it is difficult to make it disappear completely. It is an autonomous system so it is not possible to really fight against it.
Rest, breathing exercises, relieving positions, physical activities
"On the other hand, " the midwife continues, " the pregnant woman can learn to better control her breathing, such as learning to breathe with her stomach and no longer through her rib cage." Another tip: practicing a physical activity that helps regulate breathing, such as yoga , swimming or walking, can be useful. Stress can also be a cause of breathlessness, so it is better to avoid strong emotions. Finally, a little rest when the body asks for it is always beneficial.
Here are two exercises to do to calm shortness of breath:
Exercise 1:
- Sit in a semi-sitting position on a bed or lie on your left side with your top leg bent and your head raised. Shortness of breath should then reduce.
Exercise 2:
- Sit with your back straight and place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. Then inhale while inflating your stomach and exhale while pulling your stomach in. The hand placed on your chest should not move. As soon as you have mastered this, accentuate the exhalation and then "lengthen" it as much as possible in order to expel all the air from your lungs.
Does my baby get short of breath during pregnancy too?
This is indeed a question that pregnant women ask themselves. To reassure them right away, the answer is no. During pregnancy, it is the placenta that provides oxygen to the fetus. The lack of oxygenation of the baby, called anoxia, is not linked to the mother's shortness of breath but to intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), discovered during the ultrasound. It is generally linked to a placental pathology, a fetal malformation or an infection.
When to worry about shortness of breath in pregnant women?
Should you be worried about being often out of breath when you're expecting a baby?
"If the pregnant woman is only out of breath, there is nothing to worry about," reassures the midwife.
Dizziness, chest pain, sudden palpitations
On the other hand, if shortness of breath is associated with other symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, chest pain, sudden palpitations or vision problems, it may be an emergency and you should call 15.
Furthermore, it is strongly recommended that you talk to your doctor about your shortness of breath if you suffer from a chronic respiratory disease such as asthma . He or she will be able to give you specific advice or possibly change your treatment. On the other hand, shortness of breath during pregnancy is sometimes a symptom of a more or less serious disorder such as iron deficiency anemia (too low a concentration of red blood cells in the blood due to an iron deficiency) or a risk of phlebitis (obstruction of a vein by a blood clot).
