Edema during pregnancy: causes and what to do in this situation

Pregnant women at first forget about their interesting situation and do not change their diet, clothing style, behavior at work. After all, sitting in one position for a long time or eating salty, smoked, fried foods, wearing too tight clothes can cause swelling during pregnancy. Physiological edema should be distinguished, which appear due to fluid retention in the body after eating salty foods or in hot weather, and pathological swelling of the legs or arms. The second variant of edema poses a danger to the life of the baby and mother. Physiological edema disappears on its own, although it requires a more careful study of the causes by the attending physician. On examination of a pregnant woman, a specialist prescribes blood pressure control and a general analysis of urine and blood. Usually, edema is accompanied by an increase in blood pressure and the appearance of protein in the blood. What is the cause of edema and how to relieve edema during pregnancy, read this article.

Edema during pregnancy: stages of swelling, causes, norm and pathology

In simple terms, swelling – it is water retention in the body in violation of the water-salt balance. And there can be many reasons for such a violation, ranging from simple physical overload of the legs in hot weather, ending with serious disorders of the kidneys or heart. Often pregnant women confuse the usual weight gain with edema. Puffiness is considered pathological in case of an increase of more than 300-350 g per week. You can also distinguish swelling from simple weight gain as follows: press your finger on the skin and release. If a hole remains in the place where the finger was pressed, it means that edema is definitely present.

H3 There are 4 stages of swelling during pregnancy

Stage 1 – swelling of the legs during pregnancy, legs and feet.

Stage 2 – swelling of the legs, thighs, lower abdomen.

Stage 3 – swollen hands.

Stage 4 – face and whole body swell.

Usually, swelling during pregnancy occurs in the third trimester, when the fetus is actively growing. In medicine, such edema is called preeclampsia, late toxicosis.

Read also: Changes in a woman's body during pregnancy

Reasons why legs, arms and face swell during pregnancy

• Fetal growth and pressure on the urinary system. After 20 weeks, the fetus is actively growing, the uterus expands and shifts the usual location of the internal organs. Especially in the case of abuse of smoked foods, salt and fast food, water retention occurs in the body. To get rid of edema, in this case, it is necessary to control weight gain, eliminate the irritating factor that provokes an increase in the amount of liquid processed in the body.
• Preeclampsia – in this case, the whole body swells completely, and not separately the limbs. The danger of this condition is an increase in pressure in the vessels, which can lead to spasm and fetal hypoxia. Therefore, the development of preeclampsia during the bearing of a baby requires a woman to be extra careful and constantly monitor blood pressure and protein content in the blood.
• Severe edema may occur when the kidneys are impaired. The easiest option for such a violation is the growth of the fetus and pressure on the kidneys. But, besides this, edema can occur in the presence of kidney stones or be the cause of the development of other diseases of this organ, for example pyelonephritis.
• In case of violation of fluid exchange in tissues, the cardiovascular system also suffers. The heart cannot fully pump blood, the fluid is retained in the vessels, while the patient develops shortness of breath, pain in the heart, bouts of weakness.
• Swelling of the legs during pregnancy can be the result of varicose veins due to the growth of the uterus. General signs: heaviness in the legs, weakness, venous nodes appear.

It is extremely important to know How to remove water from the body: practical advice

What should a pregnant woman do when swelling of the arms, legs or face appears

When edema appears during pregnancy, a woman should clearly understand what to do in this case in the first place, when to see a doctor. Bearing a child is accompanied by an attentive attitude to any deviation in the state of health. Taking medications or herbal remedies can harm the baby and worsen the mother's condition. Therefore, when edema appears, you should not immediately use drugs without a preliminary examination and consultation with a doctor.  

How to prevent swelling, what a woman can do in the first place:

1. Control fluid intake: a minimum amount of fluid per day – 1.5 liters and not less.
2. Restrict salt, smoked and salty foods. It is also not recommended to eat fried foods, they also provoke fluid stagnation.
3. Stop soda.
4. Move more, walk in the fresh air.
5. Let your legs rest so as not to overload the blood vessels.
6. Do not stay in a hot and stuffy room.
7. Wear special tights and stockings to prevent swelling.
8. Wear only comfortable shoes and loose clothing so as not to compress the vessels in the pelvis and legs.

Also, with swelling of the legs, it is useful to take cool baths and take a decoction of dried apricots. It is also important for pregnant women to maintain an active lifestyle in order to reduce swelling, prepare the body for the growth of the fetus and the upcoming birth.

Read also: The cause of swelling: diseases that provoke fluid stagnation

How to get rid of swelling during pregnancy

Remember that the treatment of edema must be followed under the guidance of a physician. Any means and methods are good if there are no contraindications, that is, there is no danger to the development of the fetus and the expectant mother.

Use herbal teas or diuretics only as directed by your doctor. You can also use folk recipes for the outflow of fluid from the body based on mountain ash or linden. Linden tea insist and drink 3 times a day for half a glass.

Foot massage also helps to relieve swelling. You can do it before or after a bath with sea salt and dousing with cool water. Sometimes doctors recommend using special gels for edema. If the examination revealed a pathological cause of swelling, treatment should be carried out in a hospital where a pregnant woman will be observed by specialists from various fields along with a gynecologist.

It is possible to do something on your own to relieve swelling only if these are isolated cases and do not require the intervention of a specialist. And remember, an active lifestyle, even during pregnancy, reduces the appearance of edema by 50%. Special gymnastics, hiking, proper nutrition and drinking, comfortable clothes and shoes – all this in combination is the prevention of puffiness.