2023 Author: Anita Thornton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-22 03:30
During pregnancy, especially in the last trimester, almost half of he althy pregnant women will experience the inconvenience of swelling in some part of their body.
This condition, called edema, is in most cases not serious. It particularly affects the feet and legs, but sometimes also the face and hands.
Edema is a problem related to water retention, that is, the body retains too much “fluid” without any abnormality or distension of the blood vessels being present. This condition, for some women, may be accompanied by pain or numbness.
Causes related to edema
During the evolution of pregnancy, various factors related to hormonal conditions and anatomical changes will be responsible for the formation of edema.
Hormonal factors
Fluid gradually accumulates in the female body during different trimesters due to physiological changes in pregnancy. Water is an element found in many places in the body. It is present inside the composition of blood, cell,different layers of the skin as well as in the many organs and muscles of the body. It accounts for 60% of the overall adult body weight.
The adrenal glands of pregnant women produce more aldosterone and cortisol, which are the hormones responsible for retaining water in the body. The phenomenon of retention would be partly related to the needs of the production of amniotic fluid, which is used for the nutrition and protection of the fetus. It can also alter the water balance of the body's metabolism and be linked to the formation of edema.
Along with the increase in water, the amount of blood in a woman's body can almost double to support the development of the fetus throughout pregnancy. Progesterone, a hormone secreted by pregnant women, causes blood vessels to dilate, which will make vascular circulation less efficient.
The dynamics of these changes in the amount of water and blood, caused by hormonal variations, will also modify the functioning of the physiology of the filtration and reabsorption of metabolic fluids. As a result, a proportion of the filtered water from the whole body will not be able to return to its organs or "respective compartments" and will therefore be "suspended" in the tissues of the pregnant woman's body. Edema therefore results in swelling of certain parts of the body, caused by an infiltration of liquid in the tissues of the body.organism.
Anatomical Factors
The growth in the size of the fetus will come to play a very important role in the formation of edema and particularly for that which can affect the legs of the future mother. The weight of the baby and the amniotic fluid contained in the uterus will cause significant pressure in the pelvis during the last trimester of pregnancy. The portion of the vena cava located in the pelvis (the main vessel for the return of blood from the legs to the heart) will be compressed by the increase in size of the uterus. Due to this constraint, the blood coming from the legs will consequently “flow back” downwards, i.e. towards the ankles and feet.
These pregnancy-specific changes that impair blood flow through the veins of the lower extremities can increase the likelihood of varicose veins or clots forming in the legs. Deep vein thrombosis is the formation of blood clots in the veins. These clots are dangerous because they can break off and travel back up into the bloodstream. This condition is serious and deserves the attention of the doctor who monitors the pregnancy.
Edema prevention
In order to prevent the appearance of oedema, to reduce its symptoms or to prevent the formation of varicose veins and clots, the following measures are indicated for pregnant women:
- Avoid a sedentary lifestyle, practiceregular physical activity and walking daily
- Avoid standing for long periods or crossing your legs while sitting
- Wear clothes that do not compress the body (especially socks with tight elastic at the calves or ankles)
- Place your legs elevated as often as possible during the day
- Lying on the left side during sleep or during the day
- Wearing support (compression) stockings may be indicated for severe cases or to prevent the appearance of oedema
- Watch your diet by avoiding foods that increase water retention (s alt, saturated fat, sugar, coffee)
- Edema may be more frequent during the summer season, cool the legs with jets of cold water
Several therapeutic approaches can help prevent edema in pregnancy or reduce its severity. Osteopathy, acupuncture, massage therapy and lymphatic drainage are excellent alternative methods to reduce the symptoms of edema or the formation of varicose veins and clots. It is advisable to consult a therapist specialized in perinatality.
When to see a doctor?
It is important to differentiate normal physiological edema without severity from pathological edema. It is recommended to consult a doctor in the presence of the following conditions:
- In deep vein thrombosis, we notice thepresence of a triad of “redness/pain/heat” symptoms at a specific location and often in the leg (ankle or calf). These symptoms show the formation of a clot, located in the deep veins, which can migrate into the bloodstream and obstruct the lungs.
- Physiological edema can be an aggravating condition of pre-eclampsia. This pathology is caused by disturbance of blood pressure and high protein level in urine. This condition causes severe swelling of the face, hands and legs, severe headaches, blurred vision and elevated blood pressure.
