The development of swelling in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, as a rule, indicates an infection in the body. Perhaps the woman already had the disease, and with the onset of pregnancy, the load on the affected organ increased, and all this became the impetus for the development of the clinical picture. The following conditions contribute to the appearance of edema in the first trimester of pregnancy:
Important: a woman should not ignore swelling, even if after rest it disappears on its own. Fluid retention in the body of the expectant mother in the early stages of pregnancy is not a physiological condition and it is imperative to look for the cause of the edema.
In order to recognize edema early in pregnancy, a woman should pay attention to the following signs:
If the expectant mother listens to her body and pays attention to the little things, she may notice a decrease in diuresis (the volume of daily urine excreted) and rapid weight gain against the background of a normal diet.
Many patients are concerned about the question: is edema dangerous for the intrauterine development of the fetus in the first trimester? In itself, swelling of the limbs does not pose a threat to the development and growth of the baby in the uterus, but the reasons that cause it can negatively affect the course of pregnancy in the future.
For example, a kidney infection is a source of pathogenic microorganisms that can travel through the bloodstream through the placenta to the baby, affecting its internal organs. Swelling as a symptom of varicose veins can be complicated by thrombosis or progression of stretching of the veins, which leads to insufficient blood supply to the fetus with oxygen and nutrients - this can also negatively affect the child’s health. In any case, if swelling appears in the first trimester of pregnancy, it is urgent to find out the cause and take appropriate measures.
If there is persistent edema in the early stages, a pregnant woman should be thoroughly examined. If during the diagnosis no significant pathology was detected, then the doctor may recommend the woman a mild diuretic based on herbal components, for example, Canephron or Urolesan. These drugs improve the functioning of the kidneys, prevent congestion in the urinary organs, and reduce swelling. The following recommendations will help cope with swelling:
Important: swelling of the limbs may be the first symptom of diseases of the cardiovascular system or urinary organs, so in order to avoid the development of complications, you should not ignore your condition and self-medicate. In some situations, antibiotic therapy is indicated, which should be strictly selected only by a doctor!
Irina Levchenko, obstetrician-gynecologist, especially for the website Mirmam.pro
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What causes swelling in early pregnancy, what to do when it appears? An interesting situation in the first weeks is accompanied by various changes in the body. Some women experience toxicosis, others complain of frequent urination, and still others talk about swelling in the first trimester.
Where does swelling come from? In fact, to make an accurate diagnosis, an experienced doctor only needs a conversation with the patient and an examination of her, even just a visual one. What does the doctor pay attention to? First on the patient's face. The causes of edema in the early stages may be a disease of the thyroid gland - hypothyroidism. Every woman registered for pregnancy is required to have a blood test for TSH to identify this disease, which can be hidden. If the blood test is not normal, special medications are prescribed. And if they are not taken, there is a very high risk that the child will be born with poor mental abilities.
But more often in the early stages of pregnancy, edema appears due to physiological reasons. The gynecologist, and sometimes a therapist, direct the expectant mother to undergo a series of blood and urine tests that will help identify abnormalities in the body, if any. Just like swelling in late pregnancy, swelling in the first weeks after conception can be caused by kidney problems. If a woman has a bad urine test, for example, red blood cells, high white blood cells, protein are determined, she is referred to a urologist. And he, in turn, sends for an ultrasound of the kidneys.
If, for example, pyelonephritis is detected, then the safest antibiotics for expectant mothers are prescribed. It is not known whether edema during early pregnancy is dangerous for the fetus. However, the real danger is an infection that can reside in the mother's kidneys. You definitely need to get rid of it.
If the pathology is not found, and repeated testing turned out to be more successful in terms of results, many urologists prescribe mild diuretics and anti-inflammatory drugs for prevention. For example, "Canephron". It consists of herbs. But according to supporters of the position of evidence-based medicine, it is ineffective or ineffective.
If, despite normal test results and normal blood pressure, swelling of the legs appears in the early stages of pregnancy, what to do, how to relieve it? To remove it, it is usually enough to lie down, and your legs should lie slightly above the level of your head.
To prevent swelling in the future, you need to wear comfortable, non-tight shoes with small heels or flat soles. At the same time, try not to stay in a vertical position for a long time and do warm-up exercises for your legs more often.
Typically, such swelling is a sign of varicose veins, problems with the veins. Compression socks or stockings help in this case. 1 degree of compression is usually enough to avoid swelling. However, you should put on compression garments immediately after getting out of bed in the morning.
You need to pay attention to the fact that if only one leg swells, if it turns red, this may be a sign of surgical pathology - thrombosis.
As soon as a pregnant girl’s blood volume and amniotic fluid begin to increase, the need for water also increases. However, the hormone progesterone slows down the excretion of sodium, causing fluid to be retained in the body. The problem can be aggravated by the presence of diseases that the mother had no idea about before. An extra glass of water or a couple of pickles will immediately respond, giving swelling in the early stages of pregnancy. Should we be afraid of them?
Edema is a concentration of excess fluid in tissues. Most often they appear in pregnant women on the legs, face, and less often in the abdomen and arms. The causes of their occurrence can be dietary violations, insect bites, and injuries. Usually by the morning or after returning to a normal diet, all unpleasant manifestations go away.
Many mothers believe that swelling is normal. But doctors do not agree with them; they prescribe tests and diets to monitor the woman’s condition. Dangerous pathologies include those pathologies whose causes lie in the following:
A pregnant woman should carefully monitor her condition, because sometimes doctors may miss something. Since there are internal and external swelling in early pregnancy, the causes of which are different, it is worth understanding how to identify them before visiting a specialist.
The greatest danger is internal swelling during pregnancy, the symptoms of which can mainly only be recognized by a doctor. But if a girl begins to notice signs of external fluid accumulations, then it is better not to delay visiting an obstetrician-gynecologist.
Before sounding the alarm, you need to exclude the possibility of allergic reactions to pet hair, dust, and pollen.
To relieve symptoms, you need to periodically do exercises for your hands, and also remember to just give yourself a rest. For example, an hour of work should alternate with a 5-minute warm-up and a 10-minute rest.
If relief does not occur, and signs of swelling are visible in other parts of the body, then it’s time to go to the doctor.
Hidden swelling during pregnancy, symptoms of which appear in the arms and legs, may indicate kidney problems. Mostly the main cause of their appearance is glomerulonephritis. But most often the mother knows about it even before conception.
First, mommy needs to start measuring her weight on her own. And in order to accurately track all changes, you need to record weekly results in a diary. Doctors begin to prescribe additional examinations if the increase exceeds 300 g in 7 days. Mainly these are urine tests for protein content, blood pressure measurements, and ultrasound of organs.
To begin with, you should reduce the amount of liquid you drink and also limit your salt intake. If such methods do not help, then you should start looking for the reason for their appearance. In the first weeks, the doctor will suggest taking tests, measuring blood pressure, and will also prescribe other examinations taking into account the location of the fluid. In the early stages, it is usually enough to spend several fasting days and get by with outpatient treatment. In the third trimester, hospitalization will most likely be required.
At the onset of unpleasant symptoms, you should do the following:
Of course, going on diets during pregnancy is simply prohibited. After all, what a mother eats is what her child eats. And he should receive nutritious and healthy nutrition. However, in case of swelling, small deloads for the body are allowed. For example, you can arrange a cottage cheese day for yourself once a week. In total, a pregnant woman can eat up to 800 g of cottage cheese and drink 0.5 liters of water. If you prefer apples, then it is quite acceptable to eat 1.5 kg of them per day. For those who do not have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, you can unload with kefir (1.5 liters per day are drunk several times). It is advisable to eat boiled, unsalted food for some time. To prevent food from seeming bland, replace the seasoning with lemon juice. You can’t give up water completely! Drink plain, unboiled, clean water. Rosehip decoction, green tea, fruit juice, and dried apricot infusion are also very useful.
Edema by its nature is dangerous not only because it can lead to fetal hypoxia, it also causes convulsions in pregnant women, weakness, fatigue, and high blood pressure. Such symptoms can threaten both mother and child. Do not treat swelling as one of the natural signs of pregnancy. It is better to consult a doctor immediately to prevent any possible threats to the two of you.
Legs hurt in the early stages. Oddly enough, “ordinary” flat feet can cause a lot of trouble for a pregnant woman. . After all, the expectant mother could, for example, simply pull a ligament. Swelling of the legs in the early stages: what to do.
Sedentary work during early pregnancy is not as fraught as a constant forced position in the last trimester. As the size of the abdomen increases, the load on the lumbar spine increases.
Is edema dangerous in early pregnancy and what? How to maintain pregnancy in the early stages. Site administrator.
Girls, who had a similar problem? We are 21 weeks and there is swelling on the stomach and legs. Moreover, I don’t seem to notice this, but the doctor and friends noticed it right away. Most importantly, from what? I don't understand. Please help me with advice on how to deal with this? I don't want to turn into a baby elephant. The doctor told me to drink as little as possible, write down how much liquid I ate and drank during the day, urinate in a jar and see how much liquid comes out. Thanks in advance.
Swelling is a common thing, feet and fingers become swollen, if there is excessive swelling, a vacuum massage is prescribed, do not go in the heat..
The load on the kidneys has increased. Drink in moderation.
I read it the other way around - drink more!
I have it for 5 months. there was swelling, but where can you get away from it, the body stores water for “extreme emergencies”, because the amniotic fluid is renewed several times an hour! And now it’s summer, there’s a lot of moisture loss from the body. Don’t worry, this is normal, until you give birth you will still swell.
Try changing your diet to the level of “proper nutrition”. And drink only canned, clean, unboiled water - it is a strong diuretic in itself.
The gynecologist should have given recommendations, and in general, to drink less, because... swelling not only in the legs, but also swelling of the placenta, and the baby suffers from this (((
3 You read it correctly. In Russia, doctors still advise people to drink less in the old fashioned way. In Europe and America, on the contrary, people drink more. At least 2 liters per day, but limit salt intake.
6 Well, talk nonsense right now. Can you even imagine what they are!? should there be swelling, why should there be such swelling?! Quite already. We like to scare pregnant women. Author, monitor the pressure and protein in your urine; if you experience severe headaches or spots in your eyes, consult a doctor. Edema alone is not dangerous in most pregnant women.
I had a similar problem during my first pregnancy. Hospitalized 2 times. And on the third, they performed a cesarean section in the 6th month. The child did not survive. The first swelling started at 4 months. The same. And she drank little water. And watched the food. With edema, there is protein in the urine. I don't scare you. Maybe your case is typical. There are swellings. I just had a bad case. What does your gynecologist say?
7, exactly. Agree.
My sister had severe swelling. And the doctor advised her to drink still mineral water and stand in a knee-elbow position several times a day. Those. Stand on your knees, leaning on your elbows. This removes the load from the kidneys for a while. My sister looked like a barrel, but after this exercise the swelling practically disappeared. She did this 6 times a day.
Thanks everyone! From the heart! The doctor told me to drink less, write down the amount of liquid I drank and ate in a notebook, and also urinate in a jar and see how much liquid comes out of the body. However, she didn’t say how much liquid you can consume per day :(((And the midwife also talked about fasting days. Like, a day on apples, a day on cottage cheese, a day on dried apricots, etc.
But I can’t live without tea. I really like black tea with sugar and lemon. I’m not fond of mineral water, maybe once or twice a month I drink a glass. The juices aren't great either. I was surprised that it was me who had swelling. Maybe it’s naive, but I didn’t think that I would have them. I thought it would blow through and then bam! Yes, even at 21 weeks. early. In less than 2 weeks I gained almost 2 kg! This is unheard of. I'm shocked.
Swelling is dangerous during pregnancy, swelling is not only outside but also inside, so drink less, and most importantly, LESS SALT. Eat only everything boiled and steamed. In general, in case of edema, the pregnant woman is hospitalized and the swelling is removed under the supervision of a doctor. I didn't mean to scare you, but take this seriously.
and I often go small. I don't hold back. I get up 3 times at night.
12 These recommendations were given to me by doctors 10-50 years ago. They are all outdated. Ishkhite is better than another doctor.
When I was in the hospital (not because of edema), they told everyone exactly this: write down how much fluid you consumed and urinate in a jar, the girls donated urine for clearing, and according to Zimnitsky, and something else.
9 I really sympathize with you. 🙁 Apparently you have gestosis. With gestosis, look for 3 signs: pressure, protein in the urine + swelling. The child usually does not grow or grows very poorly. Then there will be a threat to the life of the mother and the fetus and a caesarean section may be performed.
17 Yes, I know all this. In Russia, doctors of the old school check and advise this everywhere. 🙂 In Russia, a lot of things are done according to outdated instructions and recommendations. See WHO recommendations. In Russia, I also squeeze children from the abdomen during childbirth and cauterize the erosions, which is not done in Europe, and squeezing is generally prohibited.
In general, I draw the following conclusions: give up salty foods, eat steamed and boiled foods, and drink still water in moderate quantities.
By the way, starting from the 18th week, I also gained 1 kg per week (but in the first weeks I lost 4 kg due to severe toxicosis). There was no protein in the urine, the pressure at the end of pregnancy was higher than 140/90 (Up to 140/90 is considered normal). I gave birth to a completely healthy baby, 10/10 on a scale.
Why look in the jar? There is swelling, which means fluid is retained.
7 is absolutely right.
Eat everything that is not salty, do not abuse animal protein and fat, walks, showers, good mood, forget about all the worries - don’t care about everything except the child.
21, and I walked around, glad that I wasn’t gaining weight. I think mommy is a slender woman here too. Ho-ba! 2 kg in less than 2 weeks. nightmare .
20 Drink in normal quantities. On the contrary, we need to drink more according to the recommendations of Western doctors. Especially if your urine is strong, this means you need to drink more. Swelling is not scary if it is without pressure and protein. All pregnant women have them. Walk more in the fresh air. Lie periodically with your legs elevated (put a pillow under your feet). Everything will be fine. 🙂
Author, not in moderation, but enough. Depends on diet, weather, and physical activity. You just need to know that the lack of water when thirst appears is already very serious.
23 I gained 18 kg starting from 18 weeks. So count how much I gained. In the last weeks of pregnancy, weight gain usually decreases, some stop, and some may lose 1-2 kg before giving birth.
Author 20, you can’t have everything boiled or steamed. Problems with stool may occur. are more likely to arise.
I just think, well, if I love tea so much and it’s dear to me, then my body requires it! If I don’t drink it as much as I want, I feel uncomfortable by God!
15 Walk around often as a child, as the child puts pressure on the bladder. This also happens to all pregnant women.
I really love cucumbers and tomatoes as a salad with mayonnaise. I don't really need anything else. Well, I really like apples and grapes.
Edema cannot be simply treated. They are different, kidney, protein, cardiac. Find out the reason first. Eat right and take care of yourself. And don't self-medicate. Otherwise, if you start taking diuretics, you will make things even worse. If your doctor does not know where the swelling is coming from, go for a consultation with another doctor. And see an endocrinologist.
27, what does the chair and everything boiled have to do with it? Fiber and coarse fibers of meat have not yet been abolished during cooking, stewing and steaming.
There is a lot of salt in mayonnaise. Can be replaced with bio-yogurt. Apples and especially grapes (net carbohydrates!) - I’m not afraid to say extra kilos. And also swelling. Discard the grapes, dilute the apples with carrots. - the best way out.
How much meat do you need to eat to get enough fiber? Even without pregnancy, meat must be limited to a certain amount.
33, Okay, replace the mayonnaise with sunflower oil. We don't eat grapes, apples. make a salad of apples, carrots and cabbage with sunflower oil
I wish you a good pregnancy and a healthy baby. Good luck to you!
uh-uh, maybe my advice will suit you. During the consultation, I was also advised to limit the amount of liquid, but drinking 1 liter per day is unrealistic, in any case. First, drink green tea rather than black. Secondly, salt your food less. I started eating cucumbers and tomatoes without salt, although I usually cut them into halves, add salt, and rub them together. ))) I started adding less salt to soups and salads, and stopped eating mayonnaise. And another friend recommended special salt - I can’t get enough of it now! This salt is sold in stores in departments for diabetics, it has a low sodium content, and together with sodium, potassium and magnesium. It is much less harmful to the body, and even more beneficial - it does not retain liquid, and it tastes the same. In general, a cool thing, I advise you to try it!
Author, drink as much as you want, the main thing is not to drink at night! I had this problem at an even shorter period - 10-11 weeks. When I stopped drinking at night and cut down on salt and sugar, everything went away. The doctor also advised me not to drink store-bought juices, but to squeeze natural fruits. And no sweet fizzy lemonades :)
36, Thank you very much. After all, the first baby, at 30 years old, is long-awaited. Thanks again.
37 means special. salt for diabetics. Hm . I need to try it. Thanks a lot :)))
38, I read an article that ready-made store-bought juices are of no use, but self-squeezed ones are a thing. Well, no Pepsi and Fant - that goes without saying.
I’m sitting here now and really don’t know what to eat for dinner. It's already scary to eat something. I’ll put my feet up, stand in the knee-elbow position, and still eat cucumbers and tomatoes, but with sunflower oil ;)))
Do you think that 21 weeks is early?
I recently heard that Spanish scientists have found that drinking green tea by a pregnant woman poses a threat to the child, I don’t remember the details.
Defchenki, stop talking nonsense that all this happens. I didn’t have swelling, I didn’t run to the toilet 100 times, I slept at night (despite chronic kidney disease), half a liter a day. the cup was 100 ml. everything is real
During my first pregnancy I had crazy swelling in my legs - I drank an infusion of dried cornflowers. helped superbly. Now I’m pregnant for the 2nd time, there are no cornflowers anywhere, the midwife recommended brewing dried birch leaves and dried parsley. helps too.
I’m only 9 weeks pregnant, but for the 3rd day in a row my legs are very swollen, only in the morning the swelling subsides a little, and by lunchtime everything is the same. I don’t know anyone at such an early stage who had such problems. Maybe someone can tell me something.
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Many newly pregnant women know that during pregnancy their legs, arms, and face may swell. And it seems that this is considered normal, because this happens often. But why then do doctors so diligently monitor the tests and always pay attention to whether their patient is edematous? Could “pregnant” edema be somehow dangerous?
Edema is a condition when excess fluid collects in the tissues. We notice this in the form of swelling, which primarily appears on the face and legs, but also during pregnancy the arms, abdomen, and lower back may swell.
In fact, edema during pregnancy is a common phenomenon and has its own explanations. Firstly, the body’s need for fluid is constantly increasing, so the further it goes, the more a woman wants to drink. A significant portion of the weight gained during pregnancy is fluid. Secondly, sodium accumulates in a woman’s body - in blood vessels and in all tissues except bone. And sodium, as you know, attracts and, thus, retains water in the body. This is how swelling appears.
First of all, fluid retention in the tissues manifests itself on a woman’s face: it becomes rounded, the eyelids swell and visually the eyes become narrower and smaller. Often, renal edema begins with swelling on the face, requiring treatment, which is discussed a little below.
Among other things, the nose also swells. But it is not at all excluded that such a symptom has a different nature. Problems with nasal breathing are a fairly common phenomenon among pregnant women. Often we are talking about a “runny nose during pregnancy,” which is caused by hormonal changes. In this case, the nasal mucosa swells, breathing through the nose becomes difficult, itching and dryness appear in the nose - the woman experiences severe discomfort.
Rhinitis in pregnant women can manifest itself at different times of the day (for example, only in the evening and at night or throughout the day), at different stages, and in some cases accompany the entire pregnancy. But after childbirth, this unpleasant companion will disappear. The main thing now is to find an effective, safe remedy for a runny nose and nasal congestion. In itself, a runny nose in pregnant women is not dangerous, but it can lead to insufficient oxygen supply to the fetus, which is very undesirable.
Swelling of the nose during pregnancy may well be an allergic manifestation. Analyze all your recent actions and assess the likelihood: perhaps you need to find the source of the allergen (new washing powder, flowering plants, etc.)
Sometimes swelling of the nose and lips appears already from the first weeks of pregnancy as the earliest sign, although much more often such nasal swelling occurs already in the last weeks of pregnancy. In general, everything is quite individual: many expectant mothers do not experience anything like this at all.
Swelling of hands and fingers is much more common during pregnancy. The woman feels tingling in her fingers, burning in her wrists, numbness in her hands. A clear sign of swelling can be considered swelling of the fingers to the point that it becomes impossible to remove the ring. Another way to check for swelling is to press your finger on the skin of your hand: if a dent remains, then you can talk about swelling.
Women who work a lot with a computer mouse and keyboard or are engaged in other activities that require repeating the same actions many times, for example, knitting or modeling, are more susceptible to the formation of hand swelling during pregnancy. In this case, the so-called tunnel syndrome develops: the fluid accumulating in the wrist puts pressure on the nerve passing here, causing pain.
Gymnastics for your arms and more rest will not hurt you at all.
If swelling of the hands and fingers during pregnancy is combined with other swelling - of the back, sacrum, lower abdomen - then you should notify your doctor about this.
However, most often the legs swell during pregnancy. They swell noticeably, and it becomes incredibly difficult to put on your old shoes, especially if you’ve walked a lot before and taken your shoes off. The first sign of swelling of the feet may be a mark on the ankle from the elastic of the socks.
In most cases, leg swelling during pregnancy appears in the third trimester and is not dangerous. Almost every pregnant woman experiences swelling of the legs to varying degrees, so there is no need to worry too much about this. But they can also be one of the signs of late toxicosis - a condition that is definitely dangerous for both the child and the woman. Therefore, this fact cannot be ignored under any circumstances. Talk to your doctor about how to prevent and treat swollen feet—it's actually easy to do at home.
If by morning the swelling of the legs does not go away, and along with the legs the arms, face, stomach and lower back swell, then you should visit the doctor immediately.
Usually, if the cause of edema in a pregnant woman is eliminated, it will disappear on its own within a few days. To do this, it is necessary to significantly reduce the consumption of table salt, not to overwork, ensure normal rest and avoid exposure to the sun.
It is a mistake to think that you need to drink as little as possible. Today, doctors no longer advise pregnant women to reduce the amount of fluid they consume in case of swelling. After all, it is impossible to live without fluid now; it is simply necessary for the normal development of pregnancy, and besides, a sharp reduction in its amount will lead to the opposite effect: the body will begin to accumulate water in reserve. So you should still drink enough - at least one and a half liters, excluding soups and fruits. It is best to drink clean water, maybe with the addition of lemon; cranberry and lingonberry fruit drinks are also very useful (they have a diuretic effect). But give up coffee now.
Eliminate all provoking factors. Eat less salty foods (first of all, exclude sauerkraut, pickles, herring, black bread, salted nuts, olives), spices, carbonated drinks, foods containing large amounts of sodium (tomatoes, seeds, nuts), avoid fried foods , smoked. Instead, increase the amount of protein in your diet. Once a week you can spend a fasting day on apples and juice.
Don’t walk in the heat, don’t get overtired, don’t sit in one position for too long, do physical exercise (if there are no contraindications, of course). Good rest and walks in the fresh air are of great importance. Place your feet on an elevated surface while sleeping. Taking the knee-elbow position for 5-10 minutes will help alleviate the condition.
This is either an excessive accumulation of fluid in some particular part of the body, or a switching of the entire body to excessive fluid retention. Local edema can be caused by inflammation, insect bites, or trauma. General edema is always a change in the condition of the whole organism.
In order for edema to occur, two factors are necessary: the presence of fluid and tissue capable of holding this fluid. In the summer, in the heat, a person always drinks more fluid, so there are no problems with it. Moreover, there are drinks that themselves strive to stay in the tissues - salty (mineral water) and sweet carbonated drinks (Buratino, Kolokolchik, Coca-Cola). With certain diseases and conditions, the body strives to store fluid. Based on the appearance of edema, assumptions are often made about the presence of one or another pathology in the body (edema affects “heart patients,” “renal patients,” and diabetics; edema often appears in women before menstruation), but edema is especially often a concern for pregnant women and their doctors.
Pregnancy itself is a condition that promotes water retention in the body, and this is physiological. A person consists of 80% water, and in my mother’s body, “suddenly” in a relatively short period of time, a completely new organism is formed, for which water must be taken somewhere. During a normal pregnancy, as much as 6-8 liters of water are collected, 4-6 of which are outside the body tissues, and 2-3 in the tissues. By the end of pregnancy, the baby, placenta and amniotic fluid accumulate about 3 liters of water. Another three liters are used to increase the mother’s blood volume, to grow and enlarge the uterus and mammary glands. The volume of the liquid part of the blood begins to increase very early, from 8 weeks of pregnancy. It seems that fluid accumulation is a phenomenon of paramount importance, since the body begins to deal with it so early. And it’s true: after all, how liquid and flowing the blood is, so quickly it can deliver nutrients for the growth of the child, uterus, and mammary glands. And blood can fill a whole new vascular system only when there is a lot of it.
However, not all the liquid always goes “to use”. Almost any biological system has excessive “greed” and tries to store the necessary resource in case of its sudden disappearance. This is why edema forms.
There are four degrees of severity of edema:
Most often, edema develops from 30 weeks of pregnancy. With gestosis, swelling occurs after 20 weeks, in the morning, the legs become “wobbly”, shortness of breath, weakness and increased fatigue appear. Due to edema, a pregnant woman cannot stand on her feet for a long time, shoes become tight, rings cannot be removed or put on (ring symptom). When pressing on the shin, a hole is formed, which does not disappear immediately. But swelling is not always visible visually. Hidden edema is indicated by an increase in body weight of more than 300-400 g per week.
As already noted, edema is not always a pathology. At the end of pregnancy, the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the inferior vena cava, which creates an obstacle to the outflow of blood from the veins of the lower extremities. In addition, the large uterus puts pressure on the ureters, resulting in fluid retention. In women with varicose veins, when walking or standing for a long time, the feet and legs swell in the evening. Another type of physiological edema is constitutional. They occur in women with short stature and increased body weight.
The development of pathological edema is associated with impaired water-salt metabolism, improper outflow of blood and lymph through the veins of the legs, increased permeability of the vascular wall and thickening of the blood. This mechanism for the occurrence of edema is inherent in gestosis (the old name is toxicosis of the second half of pregnancy), in which there is also an increase in blood pressure and proteinuria (protein in the urine). These symptoms are not always present as a complete triad; moreover, there are “dry” gestosis, when there is no edema at all, and they are considered a more severe case of the disease.
Answering a few questions will help. Have you been desperately squeezing your favorite worn-out shoes lately? Does the wedding ring squeeze your finger, leaving a mark, or is it difficult or impossible to remove from your finger? Do elastic bands from socks and knee socks leave a ribbed, long-lasting mark? Have you started to gain excess weight (more than 300 g per week)?
Of course, obvious swelling will be noticed not only by the doctor, but also by you. But there are also hidden edema, or tissue pastiness (the so-called fluid retention in the body), which are not noticeable. They can only be suspected if the expectant mother experiences a large or uneven weight gain.
Most often, edema in healthy pregnant women who do not have cardiovascular or renal pathology appears in the second half of pregnancy. Usually the legs swell first, then swelling of the arms, abdomen, and face may occur. The latter is especially upsetting for expectant mothers. After all, the eyelids swell the most on the face. This is due to the anatomical features of this area. There is loose fiber located there, which, like a sponge, is ready to retain liquid.
In the morning, swelling in the legs is less noticeable, because at night the fluid spreads evenly throughout the body. But during the day, when you spend more time on your feet, the fluid goes down, accumulating mainly in the ankles, on the back of the feet, on the shins, where the pressure of a finger can cause a slowly leveling hole. Skin with edema is pale, tense and smooth.
Simple home methods will help you understand whether you have hidden swelling, the presence of which must be reported to your doctor.
Possible hidden edema is indicated by excessive (more than 300 g per week) or uneven weight gain of the expectant mother.
Compare the amount of fluid drunk and urine excreted (per day). Normally, a healthy person excretes ¾ of the fluid he drinks. Let's say if you drank 1000-1200 ml of liquid per day (including soups and tea-coffee), at least 750-900 ml should be excreted in the urine. The remaining quarter of the fluid is released in the form of sweat and also during breathing. It is usually recommended to count urine output for three days in a row in order to exclude a situation where, on the eve of the study, a large amount of liquid was drunk, which was perfectly excreted on the first day of urine counting.
An increase in the circumference of the ankle joint by 1 cm or more within a week indicates fluid retention in the body.
Western medicine considers edema during pregnancy to be a physiological phenomenon in the absence of increased blood pressure, protein in the urine and concomitant diseases. Russian doctors adhere to the point of view that edema during pregnancy is always the first signs of gestosis, which means they must be treated. Unfortunately, it is impossible to accurately predict the course of pregnancy, especially the first one, so a pregnant woman can meet both a doctor with the first and second point of view, and most often the doctor’s personal experience and the course of the observed pregnancies play a role here.
In any case, it is wise to prevent the occurrence of edema.
Primary prevention is an examination of a pregnant woman in the early stages of pregnancy, a blood test for biochemistry and examination by specialists. In the early stages, when there is no edema yet and cannot be, it is already possible to guess which woman is more likely to develop pregnancy pathology. This is why there is so much talk about the need for early registration and early examination of pregnant women.
After determining the cause of edema, a natural question arises: how to deal with pathological edema (preeclampsia)? First of all, you need to decide on a diet. Nutrition should be balanced and complete. Food should contain an increased amount of protein (meat, fish, chicken), since with gestosis a deficiency occurs, which leads to increased vascular permeability.
We should not forget about carbohydrates - this is an energy material; if they are lacking, proteins will be consumed as energy. Fats are also necessary for energy production and as a building material for fetal organs. Limiting fluid and salt only aggravates the development of edema. There should be at least 1.5 liters of fluid per day. But it is better to exclude over-salted, pickled and spicy dishes. You should limit your intake of sweet and carbonated drinks (Coca-Cola, lemonade): they lead to fluid retention in the body, creating a vicious circle of edema development.
Try to avoid prolonged standing or walking. In the morning you need to raise your legs up (in a horizontal position). A vigorous foot massage is effective. Kidney tea and other herbal teas can only be taken as prescribed by a doctor. It is strictly prohibited to take diuretics to treat edema caused by gestosis.
In the third trimester of pregnancy, when a significantly enlarged uterus puts pressure on all organs of the abdominal cavity, including the kidneys and renal vessels, positional gymnastics helps well, specifically the knee-elbow position for 1-1.5 hours a day. These 1.5 hours can be gained by short “approaches to the apparatus” for 10-15 minutes throughout the day.
If, despite prevention, swelling continues to increase, protein appears in the urine and pressure creeps up - this is already clinically pronounced gestosis, which can only be treated in a hospital. In severe cases, the question of early delivery may arise, both in the interests of the mother and for the benefit of the child. Please do not refuse hospitalization.
Cesarean birth is almost always accompanied by swelling of the legs. How scary is this for the mother, and is it possible to reduce leg swelling after a caesarean section?
Analysis of the causes of edema formation helps determine how bad this condition is for a woman’s body, and whether urgent medical intervention is necessary. The most common cause of leg swelling is deep vein thrombosis in the lower extremities. What it is?
Thrombosis is a blockage (complete or partial) of blood vessels and obstruction of blood flow. Doctors call this condition postpartum thrombophlebitis. As a result of a decrease in the amount of blood that moves in the vessels of the legs, swelling is formed (the legs increase in size and swell).
The formation of blood clots can accompany even normal labor. This is due to the body's tendency to thicken the blood before labor begins (to reduce the likelihood of bleeding). After cesarean section, thrombosis occurs due to damage to the internal walls of blood vessels during surgery. To heal the “gap” in the vessel, the body forms a blood clot that closes the injured part. In thick blood, the thrombus quickly reaches a large size and narrows the vascular passage. This is why most caesarean sections are accompanied by swelling.
Damage to a vessel during surgery is a standard situation. It's difficult to avoid. Most damage is caused to the abdominal vessels, which carry blood from the lower extremities to the heart.
Other factors can also cause swelling after cesarean section, but much less frequently. More often they cause swelling in other conditions not related to the operation. This:
During and after childbirth and surgical operations, the kidneys work in an intensive mode.
If there is a renal pathology, then swelling of the legs will appear even during normal (non-operative) childbirth.
The kidneys remove excess fluid, and when they are not working enough, edema forms throughout the body. Heart disease disrupts normal blood flow, which also affects the appearance of edema.
Treatment for swelling can include home remedies and medications. Severe long-term swelling that does not subside for more than 3 weeks requires mandatory treatment from a doctor. Less pronounced swelling allows the use of passive treatment methods (diaphoretic teas, massage, baths). Especially if there is a noticeable slow but stable decrease in swelling. What can you do for swelling at home?
In order to quickly remove swelling from the legs after a cesarean section, it is necessary to stimulate the release of excess fluid and the healing of vessels damaged during the operation. To stimulate blood flow and reduce congestion in the legs, we recommend the following:
In addition, compression stockings and diet can help control swelling. It is worth excluding from the menu those foods that contribute to the formation of edema: grapes, tomatoes, sea buckthorn and viburnum, cranberries, lemon and grapefruit.
If swelling of the legs after cesarean section progresses, this indicates increasing thrombosis. It is necessary to consult a doctor and prescribe medications that are safe for the baby.
It is imperative to consult a doctor if you have asymmetrical swelling, accompanied by pain and burning sensations, and redness. Even if only a few days have passed after childbirth, such sensations accompany obvious pathological processes and are dangerous for the woman.
What a phlebologist can prescribe:
Thrombosis treatments contain substances that strengthen blood vessels and dissolve blood clots. However, in most cases, edema does not require special treatment and disappears as the body recovers after surgery.