Also, shortness of breath can occur in almost anyone. There are many reasons for this phenomenon. This usually happens with obesity, heavy physical exertion, and so on. However, often lack of air is caused by disturbances in the work of the cardiovascular system. In addition, pregnant women complain about it. What is it?
What expectant mothers complain about
Pregnancy is a difficult period for the female body. In this state, he is under tremendous stress. Many people don't get enough air during pregnancy. Women complain that it is difficult for them to breathe. They are saved only by frequent ventilation.
Many can sleep exclusively in cool rooms. Otherwise, they just can't sleep. Women feel short of breath, it is difficult for them to walk, they simply suffocate. So why is there not enough air during pregnancy? What is the reason for this and is this condition dangerous?
Most often, lack of air occurs when walking fast, physical exertion, after climbing stairs, when performing certain work. If breathing difficulties bother a pregnant woman even during the rest period, then you should seek help from specialists.
Why is there not enough air during pregnancy
Many suffer from shortness of breath during pregnancy. However, don't worry. This phenomenon is temporary and cannot harm the child or the expectant mother. It is connected with special condition organism. The main reasons include:
- Low hemoglobin. Anemia during pregnancy is common. As a result of the development of this disease, the amount of oxygen entering the blood is significantly reduced. As a result, a woman simply does not have enough air during pregnancy.
- Failures in the work of the cardiovascular system. The body of a pregnant woman experiences the strongest stresses. Even minor physical activity can cause shortness of breath. If a woman had disorders in the work of the cardiovascular system before pregnancy, then she may experience a lack of air at rest. Often this phenomenon is accompanied by fainting or dizziness.
- Lack of vitamins and minerals. Most often, lack of air occurs with a deficiency of magnesium. In this case, a pregnant woman may experience tachycardia.
- Neurosis and constant stress.
How to solve the problem
If it is difficult to breathe during pregnancy, then you should consult a specialist for advice. Usually, shortness of breath in this state of the body is a normal phenomenon. But if the lack of oxygen is felt even during rest, then there is a risk of developing a serious illness.
To begin with, the doctor must conduct a complete examination. A pregnant woman should take a complete blood count, which will determine the level of hemoglobin. If this indicator is low, then she may be prescribed an iron preparation or a complex of vitamins and minerals, which contains iron and magnesium.
If a pregnant woman feels a lack of air, as well as a sharp, sharp chest pain that radiates to the arm or left shoulder, then you should immediately contact a medical facility for help. In this condition, the patient's lips may turn blue. It is worth noting that such a phenomenon during pregnancy is extremely rare.
Early pregnancy
Lack of air can be felt. This phenomenon occurs at 6-8 weeks. It is during this period that hormonal changes are noted in the body of a woman.
Most often, during pregnancy, there is not enough air with toxicosis. Many believe that this phenomenon is accompanied only by nausea and vomiting. In fact, toxicosis has other accompanying symptoms. It's heartburn pain and heaviness in the stomach, a feeling of distension of the abdomen from the inside. Similar symptoms may occur in a woman for more later dates. These symptoms appear with gestosis.
On early dates A pregnant woman may feel short of breath after eating. This is noted during the first trimester. Women in such cases try to eat less. However, this does not solve the problem. After eating, unpleasant belching, pain in the stomach and heartburn may also appear. This is primarily due to the production of growth hormone. This substance is intensively synthesized by the female body during pregnancy.
last trimester
During pregnancy, there is not enough air for almost all women. This condition is observed in the later stages, when the load on the body increases significantly. This can be explained by physiological changes:
- An increase in the size of the uterus due to the growth of the fetus.
- Pressure on other organs located in abdominal cavity.
- Compression of the lungs. Because of this, the respiratory organs are not able to fully expand.
- Diaphragm tightness.
In some cases, a pregnant woman may feel severe shortness of breath and even suffocate. Most often, such signs occur in expectant mothers of short stature, as well as in those who are waiting for the birth of a large baby.
If there is not enough air, then you will have to suffer a little. This is normal. About a few weeks before birth, the fetus descends, and breathing becomes easier. After all, the uterus is located below.
What to do with shortness of breath
To alleviate the condition with shortness of breath, you must:
- Rest if the problem arose after physical exertion.
- At the first signs of shortness of breath, doctors recommend getting on all fours, completely relaxing and taking a slow breath, and then exhaling. You need to repeat this exercise several times.
- If during pregnancy there is not enough air, then you should rest with an open window or window. At the same time, there should be no drafts in the room.
- Rest is worth half-sitting. To do this, you can use small pillows and rollers. At the same time, sleeping on your back in the last stages of pregnancy is not recommended.
- Breakfast is a must. Its absence can also cause shortness of breath.
- Consult a doctor. You may be prescribed soothing and relaxing herbal preparations, or you may be prescribed aromatherapy using natural essential oils.
- Don't overeat and watch your weight gain. Extra pounds also cause shortness of breath.
Worth the benefit
If during pregnancy, then the expectant mother can work out a little. It will not be possible to alleviate such a state completely. However, if you wish, you can benefit. Experts recommend doing breathing exercises for shortness of breath. This will allow a woman to learn how to breathe properly during childbirth.
It is worth noting that this practice will allow you to perform several actions at once. A woman, thanks to shortness of breath, can learn how to breathe correctly in childbirth. In addition, breathing exercises can improve well-being with a lack of air.
For a long nine months of pregnancy, a woman has to endure many different inconveniences, difficulties and uncomfortable sensations, which is why pregnancy in the last stages seems to her for an eternity. All of them are associated with that the mother's body undergoes when carrying a baby. This process continues from the first weeks to the last days, in connection with which one “side effect” is replaced by others.
Different women do not equally experience different sensations during pregnancy. Some are worried about heartburn, others -, someone - constipation and. Skin itching, venous network, and other manifestations may appear in turn or all at once. And in the last stages, shortness of breath is especially annoying. With an increase in the period, it becomes more and more difficult for a pregnant woman to breathe, and sometimes it seems as if there is not enough air at all - neither for her nor for the baby.
Why is it hard to breathe during pregnancy?
Difficulties with breathing, as a rule, appear already in the third trimester, when the tummy grows decently (although it is possible earlier). And this phenomenon has a completely logical explanation.
As the uterus and fetus grow, they move apart all the organs surrounding them. The stomach suffers from this (appear, bladder(under the pressure of weight, urination becomes noticeably more frequent), intestines (due to constraint, peristalsis slows down - and they appear) and, of course, the lungs. The diaphragm comes almost last, which turns out to be a positive thing in this unpleasant phenomenon.
With each week of pregnancy, the uterus not only increases in size, but rises higher and higher. In the third trimester, it begins to compress the diaphragm, which makes it difficult to breathe: it becomes increasingly difficult to lean forward, climb stairs, perform simple tasks - with any effort you experience shortness of breath. The stronger the pressure, the more severe shortness of breath occurs. Fortunately, this phenomenon is temporary and in most cases, 2-4 weeks before the birth, the baby begins to descend into the pelvic region, taking up a starting position. Mom feels this mainly with a sense of relief: at last she can breathe deeply! It seems that the last time it was a hundred years ago!
However, not all women's belly drops before childbirth. But also, not everyone experiences such difficulties with breathing - here, how lucky anyone is. It has been observed that tall women experience shortness of breath less frequently and to a lesser extent than petite mothers.
What to do about shortness of breath during pregnancy?
In fact, a good gynecologist should warn a primiparous woman about possible breathing problems in the later stages. Moreover, he should also give you recommendations on how to alleviate the condition during attacks of shortness of breath. But if you are not very lucky with the doctor or you do not have such useful information for some other reason, then we will try to help you.
First of all, I would like to say that with the appearance of shortness of breath, you can find a positive moment and use these difficulties to train breathing in childbirth. If by this time you have not yet mastered breathing techniques, then it's time to take the issue seriously. Different types and methods of breathing will not only help you feel better and provide your baby with enough oxygen in such difficult moments, but will also come in handy during childbirth, when contractions will need to be alternated with attempts.
So, if it’s hard to breathe during pregnancy, then get on all fours, try to relax as much as possible, then take a deep slow breath and exhale the same way. Repeat the exercise several times until you feel relief.
At the moment of shortness of breath, it will become easier to breathe if you sit on a chair or at least squat, or even better - lie down. Try sleeping half-sitting if you also lack air at night. Remember that you can’t lie on your back, and you also need to change positions often, not sitting in one place, walking around from time to time. Control your portions and try not to overeat - this can also cause shortness of breath.
Do not stop walking, even and especially when breathing becomes difficult. Take your spouse or girlfriend with you, but go to the park or square every day: the child must receive oxygen.
Don't panic when you suddenly find it hard to breathe during pregnancy. Remember: this is a completely physiological phenomenon. But if suddenly it starts to seem to you that you are about to suffocate, and your limbs and lips turn a little blue, then it’s better to call an ambulance and consult. However, this rarely happens.
If you experience shortness of breath even at rest, or it becomes difficult for you to breathe even when talking, then you should definitely tell your doctor about this. Perhaps shortness of breath is associated with anemia or vegetative-vascular dystonia.
Thank God there's not much left to endure. Easy childbirth!
Especially for- Elena Kichak
Sometimes nine months of waiting for a baby seems endless. No wonder they say that waiting is the hardest thing, especially when you are waiting for the happiness, miracle and joy that a new one will bring you. little man. Whatever a woman has to go through during these three semesters stretched out in time - anxiety for her and her child's health, hormonal revolutions in the body, pressure surges, depression, constant fatigue and a lot of other problems and inconveniences. This process begins from the first days and continues until the very birth, and therefore various unforeseen situations and side effects follow one after another. Many mothers remember that the last month was especially long for them - and this is understandable, because by this time all the colossal changes planned by mother nature had already completely taken place with the expectant mother.
Of course, not everyone experiences the same discomfort: someone is most tormented by heartburn, someone - lower back pain, swelling or swelling. Sometimes appears pruritus, pain in the legs or in the perineum, nasal congestion or venous mesh - and all this can happen in turn, or it can fall on you at once. The most common problem encountered in the last weeks is shortness of breath during pregnancy, when it is more and more difficult for the expectant mother to breathe, and sometimes it seems that neither she nor the child has enough air.
Reasons why the expectant mother may suffer from shortness of breath
Sometimes such breathing difficulties appear at 25–28 weeks, when the tummy is already fairly rounded. And there is a very logical explanation for this.
So, the uterus with the baby inside it is constantly growing and pushing all the nearby organs in different directions. Because of this, the stomach may suffer (and heartburn will torment you), the bladder (the uterus will press on it, and you will run to the toilet very often), the intestines (and here the opposite is true - peristalsis slows down significantly, and you will have constipation ) and without fail your lungs will experience inconvenience.
If you have an idea how these processes take place inside you, you should know that the uterus not only grows in size every day, but also rises higher and higher. With the onset, it already significantly squeezes the diaphragm, and it becomes increasingly difficult for a pregnant woman to breathe.
Now shortness of breath is felt even with the most minimal physical exertion - for example, bending over or climbing stairs to the second floor. This condition is constantly increasing, but just before the birth, 2-3 weeks, your baby will begin to go down, trying to take the most favorable position for the “start”. At this moment, you will immediately feel such a long-awaited relief.
Shortness of breath during pregnancy - how to minimize this problem?
If you have a good doctor, and you yourself are a responsible future mother, then you will probably be armed with knowledge about all possible problems long before they arise. Ask your doctor how to relieve or prevent shortness of breath, and he must give you detailed explanations about this. And we will only briefly outline the most popular methods for you.
1. Did you experience shortness of breath during pregnancy? It's time to do breathing exercises for expectant mothers, because now is the time to do it. Learning the right breathing techniques is very important - it will help you alleviate the pain of childbirth, provide your little one with better access to oxygen during this difficult moment for both of you, and teach you how to behave correctly during alternating contractions with attempts. Get on all fours and try to achieve maximum relaxation of all parts of the body in this position. Then take alternately a very deep breath, then - the same exhalation. Repeat the exercise as soon as shortness of breath becomes excruciating, and perform until you feel relief.
2. Feeling a sharp lack of air, immediately sit down or lie down. You can squat if your legs do not hurt - for some this option is most suitable. But more often, pregnant women feel relief when they are in a reclining position. Often in the last stages you even have to sleep in this position.
3. Change positions more often - sit, lie down, then walk and do light exercises. Change your location and don't sit still. If you feel that there is not enough air to inhale, sometimes it is enough to turn to another barrel or rise and do a warm-up.
4. Do not stop your daily walks, even if it is very difficult to breathe. You must remember that the baby constantly needs new portions of oxygen. Take an escort with you, lean on his hand - and forward to the promenade through the nearest park. Very soon you will be strolling here with a stroller! And about the temporary difficulties associated with such a phenomenon as shortness of breath during pregnancy, do not even remember.
During pregnancy, especially in the last trimester, the expectant mother may experience increased shortness of breath as the uterus expands, restricting lung capacity. Pregnancy hormones (primarily progesterone) also stimulate rapid breathing to help compensate for the limited space in the abdomen. As a result, you breathe more frequently to provide enough oxygen for yourself and your baby.
Is it normal to experience shortness of breath during pregnancy?
Shortness of breath is very common during pregnancy. About 70% of expectant mothers who have never experienced breathing difficulties before face this problem from the first trimester.
Shortness of breath can begin in the first or second trimester. Most often, it affects women who have gained excess weight or are carrying more than one child.
In addition, shortness of breath contributes to a low level of physical fitness. But even those who used to keep themselves in good shape may notice that during pregnancy they began to catch their breath.
At first, lack of air scares most expectant mothers. While breathing difficulty is often uncomfortable, it is usually harmless during pregnancy.
Why do pregnant women get shortness of breath?
Estrogen levels rise during pregnancy, before or in parallel with progesterone levels. This hormone increases the number and sensitivity of progesterone receptors in the respiratory center of the CNS (hypothalamus and medulla oblongata).
Also, the appearance of shortness of breath may be associated with active substances such as prostaglandins, which stimulate the smooth muscles of the uterus during childbirth and are present in all three trimesters of pregnancy. Some of them increase airway resistance by contracting bronchial smooth muscles, while others may have a bronchodilator effect (dilating the bronchi).
This is only part of the hormonal effect on the respiratory system.
physical changes
Hormones stimulate the body to accumulate fluids and increase blood volume. Deeper breathing helps the heart to cope with the increased blood supply. Thanks to this, the unborn child is provided with a full-fledged metabolism. The respiratory rate does not change due to this reason, but the breaths become deeper so that the process of taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide is more efficient. This is why expectant mothers sometimes experience shortness of breath even before the stomach begins to round.
The gradual size of the growing fetus also leads to a lack of air. The uterus, as it expands after the 4th month, increasingly begins to rest against the muscle located under the chest (diaphragm), which, as a result, compresses the lungs. It also leads to a change in the shape of the chest - its height becomes shorter, but other chest dimensions increase to maintain a constant total lung capacity.
Do not worry. Although anatomical changes during pregnancy reduce the so-called expiratory reserve and functional residual lung capacity, a healthy pregnancy still retains vital capacity, airway patency, and gas exchange. Simply put, you are able to breathe adequately despite the symptoms of shortness of breath.
How long will the breathing difficulties last?
Shortness of breath can be observed almost until the very birth, namely, until the moment when the baby's head falls into the pelvis and is fixed. As a result, the pressure on the diaphragm will decrease.
In the first pregnancy, this will happen around 36 weeks when the baby descends into the pelvis. In a multiparous woman, he may not go down to the last.
Immediately after childbirth, the level of the hormone progesterone drops, the pressure on the diaphragm and uterus decreases, and breathing normalizes.
But in some cases, it may take up to six months for the chest to return to its previous volume. However, even after that, it will be a little wider than before pregnancy.
Does shortness of breath affect the unborn child?
Barring other warning signs, shortness of breath is completely normal during pregnancy and does not harm the baby. In fact, you are breathing deeply enough to provide the fetus with the necessary amount of oxygen, even if it seems to you that this is not the case.
How to relieve shortness of breath?
| MEASURES | DESCRIPTION |
| Strive to keep your back straight | This will help you not only reduce the feeling of lack of air, but also cope with it, so the effort is worth it.
|
| Make time for light physicalactivity | Simple exercises, such as walking or swimming, may cause slight shortness of breath while doing them, but in general they help to make breathing easier. To understand, sparing loads are different in that by performing them, you can talk without making any special efforts. Correct physical activity during pregnancy is not only safe, but also useful. But if you feel short of breath at rest or after minimal exertion, tell your gynecologist about it. |
| Do breathing exercises | Breathing exercises can help with this problem if given 10 minutes daily. They help to open the lungs to the limit, which will also be useful after childbirth. For example, to increase the volume of the chest and give more room to the lungs, straighten up as much as possible and raise your arms above your head while taking deep breaths. |
| Try This Breathing Technique | Do this while standing, which can also relieve pressure on the diaphragm and improve breathing:
|
How to prevent shortness of breath?
| MEASURES | DESCRIPTION |
| Eat Right | Healthy food can prevent shortness of breath. healthy eating contributes to the maintenance normal weight and it tends to make breathing easier. Avoid unhealthy foods that are high in sugar, salt, and fat. |
| Maintain Good Hydration Levels | Drink plenty of water and avoid drinks that increase urination, such as tea or sugary sodas. They can dehydrate the body. The polyphenols present in tea and coffee also interfere with absorption. |
| Eat foods rich in iron | Eat iron-rich foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, red meat, and dark berries. Also increase your intake of vitamin C as it helps the body absorb this trace mineral. |
| Consume dark beans with caution | While beans are a great source of protein, they should be consumed in moderation. Too many legumes, especially dark-colored ones, can hamper the efficiency of iron absorption due to their content of so-called phytates. |
| Avoid Excessive Workouts | Don't overwork yourself. Learn to ask for help when you need to lift heavy objects like grocery bags. You can also talk to your supervisor to relieve you of stressful tasks at work. |
When should you worry?
Difficulty breathing, fatigue, and a racing heart can be signs of low iron levels in the blood (anemia).
Shortness of breath during pregnancy often occurs in the second or third trimesters, when the growing uterus begins to shift the diaphragm towards the lungs. In most cases, this symptom is of a physiological nature, but there are also pathological causes of its appearance, which must be identified in time for treatment.
The causes of shortness of breath during pregnancy can be divided into:
- physiological: caused by physiological changes that occur during pregnancy;
- non-cardiac: caused by pathological and physiological changes in the respiratory tract, chest wall or metabolic disorders;
- cardiac: caused by pathologies of the cardiovascular system.
To determine the cause of shortness of breath, a pregnant woman should undergo timely examinations and consult a doctor if shortness of breath occurs, which is not caused by physiological causes. In our article, we will acquaint you with the causes of this symptom and the necessary measures to eliminate them.
During pregnancy, a healthy woman may experience shortness of breath during physical activity.
Physiological shortness of breath is observed in almost 70% of pregnant women. It is mild, rarely severe, and does not significantly affect daily activities.
The causes of physiological shortness of breath during pregnancy are such changes in the body of a woman:
- the fetus grows and puts on weight, stretching the uterus, which begins to shift the organs next to it;
- change of location internal organs, starting from the second trimester, begins to put pressure on the diaphragm and lungs.
With the growth of the fetus and uterus, shortness of breath gradually increases, and the woman experiences it more acutely during physical or emotional stress. Also, physiological shortness of breath can be aggravated by wearing tight clothing, in a stuffy room, or by a pregnant woman's addiction to smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages. In the last weeks before delivery, the fetus descends into the pelvis, and difficulty in breathing usually subsides.
Physiological shortness of breath should not disturb the pregnant woman if it does not occur at rest and passes within a few minutes after rest. To alleviate or eliminate it, you must follow a number of simple rules:
- Regularly visit a doctor and undergo all the necessary diagnostic examinations.
- Reduce physical and psycho-emotional stress.
- Refrain from drinking alcohol and smoking.
- Wear comfortable clothing.
- To walk outside.
- Ventilate the room regularly.
- Sleep in a comfortable position (preferably reclining).
- Eat food in small portions.
- Avoid prolonged stay in one position.
Non-cardiac dyspnea
Often the cause of shortness of breath in pregnant women is airway obstruction. The causes of non-cardiac dyspnea can be both some physiological causes caused by pregnancy and affecting the upper respiratory tract, as well as pathologies of the respiratory system or metabolic disorders.
Nasal congestion
During pregnancy, a woman's body undergoes large-scale hormonal changes. An increase in estrogen levels in 30% of women can cause swelling of the mucous membranes of the nose. This leads to congestion, feeling of lack of air and shortness of breath. As a rule, such changes are observed in the third trimester.
Respiratory diseases
The cause of shortness of breath during pregnancy can be various pathologies of the respiratory system that are present in the anamnesis in the anamnesis of a woman or develop already against the background of gestation. These pathologies include:
- bronchial asthma;
- cystic fibrosis;
- bronchiectasis;
- obliterating bronchiolitis;
- pneumonia;
- adult distress syndrome;
- aspiration pneumonitis;
- tuberculosis;
- metastases in the lungs;
- cancerous lymphangitis;
- sarcoidosis;
- fibrosing alveolitis;
- exogenous allergic alveolitis;
- lymphagioleiomyomatosis;
- pneumothorax;
- empyema;
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;
- pulmonary embolism;
- pulmonary hypertension;
- amniotic fluid embolism.
The reasons for referring a pregnant woman to a pulmonologist may be the following indications:
- acute shortness of breath;
- progression or excessive severity of shortness of breath;
- indefinite diagnosis;
- indeterminate results of spirometry;
- indications for CT of the lungs;
- the need for oximetry while walking and a study of lung function.
Depending on the causes of shortness of breath, the doctor will be able to prescribe treatment, which can be carried out in a hospital or on an outpatient basis.
chest wall
Some pathologies of the chest wall can also contribute to the appearance of shortness of breath during pregnancy:
- obesity;
- polio;
- multiple sclerosis;
- kyphoscoliosis.
If these pathologies are detected, a pregnant woman must necessarily undergo an examination to determine the gas composition of the blood, which will help to identify hypoxia and hypercapnia in time.
Abnormal functioning of the diaphragm and chest can be caused by polyhydramnios or ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Treatment in such cases is determined depending on the severity of the manifestations of the syndrome and the duration of pregnancy.
Metabolic disorders
Metabolic disorders caused by various diseases can cause shortness of breath on different terms pregnancy. These pathologies include:
- anemia
- thyrotoxicosis;
- chronic or acute renal failure;
- metabolic acidosis;
- sepsis.
The diagnosis in such cases is made on the basis of other clinical symptoms, test results and instrumental studies. After that, the woman is assigned the main course of treatment.
Cardiac dyspnea
Dyspnea varying degrees severity can occur in a pregnant woman on the background of cardiac pathology. It is possible to suspect the appearance of cardiac during pregnancy when this symptom is combined with such factors:
- the appearance of shortness of breath at rest;
- shortness of breath when lying down;
- the appearance of shortness of breath at night;
- Availability .
The main causes of cardiac dyspnea are congenital heart defects and cardiomyopathy. Other pathologies of the cardiovascular system can also cause difficulty in breathing: coronary artery disease, hypertension, Morfan's syndrome, acquired heart defects, myocarditis, pericarditis, Eisenmenger's syndrome, etc.
Cardiomyopathy
May cause shortness of breath and other pregnancy complications. During the gestation period, three forms of this cardiac pathology are distinguished:
- postpartum: rarely observed and in most cases resolves on its own, but with repeated pregnancy it can be aggravated;
- dilated: difficult to tolerate by pregnant women and often leads to the development of heart failure, the risk of maternal mortality in this pathology reaches 7%;
- hypertrophic: more easily tolerated by pregnant women and has a good prognosis.
Women with cardiomyopathy are recommended natural childbirth with adequate anesthesia, which can be supplemented by the imposition of obstetric forceps. Unlike caesarean section, such delivery causes fewer hemodynamic complications and provides less blood loss during childbirth.
Heart defects
Depending on the severity of the cause of shortness of breath, there is a high, medium and low risk of these pathologies for pregnancy. They determine the tactics of pregnancy and delivery.
High risk include:
- Marfan's syndrome: the risk of dissection of the aortic root increases significantly with its diameter of more than 4 cm, in such cases, conception and preservation of pregnancy is not recommended;
- Eisenmenger's syndrome: pulmonary hypertension that accompanies this syndrome is fatal in 40-50% of cases, it is recommended to terminate pregnancy with this pathology.
If a woman with such pathologies decides to continue her pregnancy, then she is recommended to be hospitalized in a specialized center, where she can be provided with all the necessary cardiological and obstetric care.
Medium risk includes:
- : it can manifest itself as nocturnal shortness of breath, with rapid progression it can lead to the development, and pulmonary hypertension, the decision on the management of pregnancy is made individually depending on the diagnostic parameters;
- circulation according to Fontan: the prognosis of pregnancy depends on the functional capacity and function of the ventricle, with a single left ventricle, the chance of maintaining a pregnancy increases, but miscarriages are possible in 30% of cases;
- : the prognosis of pregnancy depends on the degree of stenosis, with moderate or severe stenosis, aortic dissection, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, systolic insufficiency, fibrosis and a decrease in coronary blood flow reserve are possible.
Low risk includes:
- operated tetralogy of Fallot: in most cases, pregnancy is well tolerated, but sometimes severe pulmonary insufficiency and decompensation can develop;
- unoperated atrial septal defect: pregnancy can cause atrial arrhythmia, and when this defect is combined with hypercoagulability, the risk of paradoxical embolism during childbirth increases, to ensure the normal course of pregnancy, drug prophylaxis of thromboembolism and antibiotic prophylaxis are recommended;
- operated coarctation of the aorta: in the absence of an aneurysm in the area of operation, pregnancy does not carry a significant risk, to prevent possible complications For this condition, CT or MRI prior to conception is recommended.
The degree of risk for pregnancy in other pathologies of the heart and blood vessels that cause shortness of breath is assessed based on data on age, gestational age, concomitant diseases and the severity of the underlying disease. That is why all women with pathologies of the cardiovascular system are recommended to plan conception and prepare for it.
Shortness of breath during pregnancy, which occurs due to physiological changes occurring in the body during gestation, should not cause worries and fears. It is easily eliminated or facilitated by following some simple recommendations.
To prevent and timely detect diseases that can cause pathological shortness of breath during pregnancy, a woman should healthy lifestyle life, plan the conception of a child and consult a doctor in time when symptoms of diseases appear. If the difficulty in breathing, inspiring concern, appeared already during pregnancy, then it may be necessary to conduct a detailed examination to identify the pathology. Such measures will help prevent not only the progression of the disease that caused shortness of breath, but also help doctors determine further tactics for managing pregnancy and childbirth, which would prevent the development of more severe complications.
A series of video programs "Questions about pregnancy", issue 14 "Dyspnea in pregnant women":