Some women experience shortness of breath during pregnancy as one of the symptoms of pregnancy and in the majority of the cases this doesn’t mean that there is something wrong with them, just that their body is changing and they need to be able to adapt to the new situations.
Information about shortness of breath while being pregnant
Usually this symptom appears as the pregnancy advances. It is also possible to notice it at the earlier stages of pregnancy. However in the majority of the cases during this time women feel it as an increased awareness of their need to breathe.
Shortness of breath while being pregnant could be caused by the fact that your body requires more oxygen in order to be able to function. There are some hormones, such as progesterone that have an effect on lungs and they also affect the respiratory center of the brain.
It is interesting to know about shortness of breath during pregnancy that the number of breaths taken in a minute doesn’t change that much, but how much air you breathe in when your breathing increases dramatically. As the pregnancy progresses, the belly will push the diaphragm and it will become more difficult to breathe.
In case you have multiplets, the shortness of breath while being pregnant gets more serious. Nonetheless it is possible that things get better a couple of weeks before you give birth. This is because the baby drops into the pelvic area and your lungs will have more space to expand.
Could you do anything about shortness of breath during pregnancy?
In case of normal pregnancies the feeling is to be expected and there is nothing wrong about it. It may be a good idea to take things slowly and in case you are exercising you shouldn’t push yourself as hard as you did before you got pregnant so that you will be able to breathe more easily.
If you are faced with shortness of breath while being pregnant you should make sure that you sit or stand straight and pull your shoulder back. This way your lungs will have more space to expand. During the night you should place some pillows behind your back to make you more comfortable.
The good news about shortness of breath during pregnancy is that after childbirth things will go back to normal and you will be able to breathe again as you did before the pregnancy. You won’t have to worry about the uterus anymore that will no longer press against the diaphragm and other internal organs.
Could shortness of breath while being pregnant be the sign of a more serious problem?
Sadly the answer to this question is yes. For instance in case you have a respiratory disease, like pneumonia or asthma, the condition you had before could get more serious than prior to your pregnancy.
In the same time you should know about shortness of breath during pregnancy that since there are also some changes in your blood clotting, you are more likely to be affected by pulmonary embolisms. Although this is a rare problem, it is a very serious one.
If the shortness of breath while being pregnant appears suddenly and it seriously affects you, it could indicate a health condition and the best thing you could do is to seek immediate medical help. There are some other symptoms as well that could accompany the problem.
Such symptoms when it comes to shortness of breath during pregnancy include rapid breathing, the worsening of asthma, fast pulse, faintness, heart palpitations, blue tinge around the fingers, lips, toes, or looking pale.
