Why swelling occurs in Pregnant Women?

Swelling issues during pregnancy are very common among women, as the body is under pressure and producing nearly 50% more blood for the proper development of the baby, it is not unexpected to experience different changes in the body. For most women, swelling is restricted to parts such as ankle, arms, and the feet, however, in many cases swelling may also affect women’s fingers, knees, face, and hands.  

One must now be worried too much about it, but there are few cases unusual kind of swelling can be the symptoms of some serious complications. In such event a pregnant women should waste no time, and consult with a doctor immediately. We have covered this issue in very detail at the lower section of this article.

Swelling mostly starts during the third trimester, but in some cases it can start as early as first trimester, swelling will affect different women in different ways, and at different times.

Swelling during pregnancy is a normal because the body produces approximately 50% more blood and body fluids to meet the needs of the developing baby. Normal swelling, which is also called edema, is experienced in the hands, face, legs, ankles, and feet.

Most women get swollen ankles and feet while pregnant. It’s natural to have concerns about swelling since it can be uncomfortable, make your shoes tighter and possibly make you feel embarrassed. Knowing what to look for and how best to manage it can help you stay as comfortable as possible.

Some main reasons that cause swelling include:

As the fetus is growing fast, it needs more space in your belly; this puts pressure on the uterus, resulting in low blood circulation to the legs. Due to that more blood gathers in the lower parts of the body, resulting in swelling.

The hormonal changes make the blood veins soft, so they are not able to function as they were doing during normal times.

As more blood is getting produced and pumped harder by the heart, blood leakage from the weakened blood veins in different parts of a pregnant women’s body will also result into swelling. The leaked blood will gather around the body tissues and result into clotting, which ultimately causes swelling.